Algeria has declared three days of national mourning following the death of former president Liamine Zeroual at the age of 84.
Zeroual, a retired army general who led the country during one of its most turbulent periods, died on Sunday at a military hospital in Algiers after a prolonged illness, according to an official statement from the presidency.
Authorities also ordered flags to be flown at half-mast nationwide in his honour.
Born on July 3, 1941, in Batna, Zeroual began his career in the National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the independence movement that fought against French colonial rule.
He rose to national prominence during Algeria’s civil conflict in the 1990s, taking charge of a transitional government before being elected president in the country’s first multi-party vote in 1995, which he won convincingly.
Despite securing a five-year mandate, Zeroual stepped down earlier than expected in 1998, paving the way for Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who would go on to lead the country for two decades.
Even after leaving office, Zeroual remained a widely respected figure in Algeria’s political and military circles, remembered for his role in steering the nation through a period of instability.
