Algerians bid farewell to late army chief in official funeral

Algerian people bid farewell to late Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah in the streets of Algiers, Algeria, Dec. 25, 2019. Algeria on Wednesday buried late Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah in a military funeral. Tens of thousands of Algerians participated in the funeral while standing along the road from Algiers downtown to the El Alia cemetery, some 10 km eastern the capital. (Xinhua)

ALGIERS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Wednesday buried late Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah in a military funeral.

Tens of thousands of Algerians participated in the funeral while standing along the road from Algiers downtown to the El Alia cemetery, some 10 km eastern the capital.

Gaid Salah died on Monday after a heart attack, four days after Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected new president to the country.

The funeral started with a ceremony at the People Palace in upper Algiers, where President Tebboune, in addition to high ranked military and political officials, diplomatic representatives and ordinary people paid tribute to the late army chief.

Then, the coffin covered with Algerian national flag was carried on a military vehicle heading to the El Alia cemetery.

Gaid Salah was buried in the "Martyrs' Quarter" alongside emblematic Algerian personalities, principally those who fought against the French colonialism.

Gaid Salah gained respect and admiration among people following his commitment to protect and accompany the 10-month-long peaceful public protest movement which saw no victim so far.

He spent his entire life in the army even before the country's independence in 1962, when he resisted the French occupation.

He served commander of the Ground Forces from 1994 to 2004, and then promoted army chief of staff.