Five Dead, Fourteen Injured in Algeria Bus Collision

A tragic traffic accident in Tamanrasset, southern Algeria, resulted in five fatalities and fourteen injuries when two regular line buses collided. The incident occurred on Tuesday, shortly before 4:00 PM local time.

According to a statement from the Civil Protection Directorate, the injured individuals sustained various degrees of injuries. They were promptly transported by ambulance and official vehicles to a nearby hospital after being rescued from the wreckage and receiving initial first aid at the scene.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to the local hospital's mortuary. Authorities are currently working on their identification and subsequent repatriation to their places of origin. The Civil Protection stated that the current casualty figures are preliminary, and the death toll could potentially rise in the coming hours.

Bus accidents are reportedly frequent in Algeria, often attributed to the aging public transport fleet. The government had initiated a renovation process in February, introducing 10,000 new units, following a separate incident six months prior where 18 people died after a bus plunged into a river.