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Interior Minister Said Sayoud Confirms 12 Deaths as Wildfires Sweep Through Northern Algeria

Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported that at least 12 people have been killed and dozens of others injured as wildfires ravage large areas of northern Algeria. The blazes, which occurred during a severe heatwave affecting North Africa, swept through several provinces along the northern coastline, including Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou. Sayoud noted that at least 54 people suffered burn injuries, with six of them requiring intensive care. To assess the firefighting and evacuation efforts, Sayoud traveled to Bejaia with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene. Civil protection authorities reported that firefighters were battling 69 blazes across the country. In some regions, such as Jijel, precautionary evacuations were carried out while airborne and ground-based resources were deployed. The fires are being exacerbated by climate change and extreme heat, which has become common in the region. Jordan's Foreign Minister Fuad Majali also extended condolences to Algeria for the wildfire victims.

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