Violent riots broke out in the Algerian desert city of Tiaret over the weekend due to months of water shortages that left residents without access to drinking water. Protestors wearing balaclavas set tires on fire and blocked roads to demand an end to water rationing. President Abdelmajid Tebboune called for emergency measures to address the suffering of the population, sending government ministers to apologize and promise the restoration of water access.
The unrest comes as Tebboune prepares to run for a second term as president in a country heavily impacted by climate change. The region has been plagued by drought, leading to depleted reservoirs and reduced rainfall. The government is exploring solutions such as piping water from larger dams and investing in desalination plants.
In the meantime, efforts are being made to import water from nearby sources, with plans to finish new pipelines by July to bring groundwater to Tiaret. The situation remains tense, with the region suffering from water shortages for months. Despite social media coverage, the riots have received little attention from mainstream media in Algeria, where press freedom has been increasingly restricted in recent years. Journalists have faced imprisonment, limiting the coverage of important issues such as the water crisis in Tiaret.
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