Famous Algerian artist brutally burnt alive in front of police
Victim was attacked after being accused of starting wildfires that killed more than 75
Dubai: Days after Tizi Ouzou has suffered one of the biggest wildfires in Algeria’s history, local media reported the brutal death of an artist and social activist Jamal bin Ismael who was attacked by an unidenfied group which set him on fire believing that “he started the fire” .
While Algerian authorities announced national mourning for three days after more than 75 people have lost their lives, including soldiers who tried to rescue residents of areas on fire, there was an official claim that the “wildfires were deliberately started by individuals.”
This has infuriated the public and urged a group of unknown men to attack a man they believed was responsible for the blaze.
Later, the video of the attack against Jamal bin Ismael went viral online, showing his final minutes as he was burned alive and killed for his alleged role. Yet, social media users identified him as a prominent artist who was present in the area to help residents put out the fires .
Twitter users were even more angered by the fact that bin Ismael was killed in front of the police officers who did not try to protect him amid false accusations. They strongly condemned the random attack on bin Ismael, urging people to wait for investigations and for authorities to take action.
As of Wednesday August 11, the raging wildfires in Algeria have claimed the lives of 77 people, including 28 army personnel.
He described the blaze a crime that was deliberately committed following a statement by the president about planned measures to safeguard the forest resources. Amrouche argued that the fire erupted in several parts of the forest at the same time, which indicated that it was a deliberate and coordinated action.