Former Algerian president, Bouteflika, dies at 84

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika meets with the French prime minister at his residence during an official visit on April 10, 2016 in Zeralda, a suburb of the capital Algiers. [ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP via Getty Images]

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the ex-president of Algeria, passed away at the age of 84.The announcement was made by the country’s presidency, which gave no further details, Anadolu Agency reported.

Having come to power in 1999 following the civil war, Bouteflika ruled the country despite suffering from paralysis in 2015 amid his deteriorating health.

He ran for the presidency vying for the fifth term in February 2019, which turned the final straw. The move triggered mass protests in the country.

With the Algerian army announcing support to protests and as they continued growing, Bouteflika was forced to resign in April 2019.

READ: Ex-Algeria president’s brother in court on corruption charges

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