Algerian Civil War

The Algerian Civil War was a very difficult time for the people of Algeria. Many people call this period the "Black Decade." It lasted from January 11, 1992, until February 8, 2002. The war was fought between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups. This conflict began because of many problems in the country. For example, the population grew very fast in the 1960s and 1970s. This made it hard for the economy to provide enough jobs and housing for young people. The country also relied heavily on selling oil to make money. When oil prices fell, the government had less money to help its citizens.

The war started after a big disagreement about elections. In December 1991, a group called the Islamic Salvation Front, or FIS, was set to win a national election. The FIS was very popular in cities and wanted to change how the country was run. However, the military took control of the government after the first round of voting. They canceled the elections and forced President Chadli Bendjedid from his job. The government then banned the FIS and arrested many of its members. Because of this, armed groups began to fight back against the state. These groups wanted to create an Islamic state through a struggle known as jihad.

Different rebel groups fought in different ways during the war. One group was called the Islamic Armed Movement, or MIA. They mostly lived and worked in the mountains. Another group was the Armed Islamic Group, known as the GIA. The GIA was more hard-line and stayed mostly in the towns. They had a motto that meant they would not make any deals or talk to the government. The GIA even fought against other rebel groups like the AIS. The AIS was a group that stayed loyal to the original FIS party. This fighting caused a lot of confusion and sadness for many families.

The violence during this time was very extreme and hurt many people. Some groups targeted journalists and foreigners. Over 70 journalists and over 100 foreigners were killed during the conflict. Many people believe that both the rebels and the security forces were involved in the violence. It is estimated that between 44,000 and 200,000 people died during the war. In 1997, the GIA carried out massacres in entire villages and neighborhoods.

This caused many people to lose support for the rebel groups. By 1997, the AIS group even called for a ceasefire with the government.

Things began to change for the better toward the end of the 1990s. In 1999, a new president named Abdelaziz Bouteflika was elected. He helped pass a new law that allowed many fighters to repent and stop fighting. This amnesty law helped the violence slowly decline across the country. By 2002, most of the main fighting had finally stopped. However, a small group called the GSPC remained active for a while. This group later said they supported al-Qaeda in 2003. Even so, the long and hard years of the Black Decade eventually came to an end.