Two suspected suicide bombers reportedly blew themselves up in Blida, southwest of Algiers, during Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to Algeria, though authorities have yet to officially confirm the incidents.
A source close to the case told AFP that two “security incidents” of a terrorist nature occurred on Monday afternoon in Blida, about 45 kilometres from the capital. The source said the two attackers detonated explosives and were killed. Video footage verified by AFP showed two badly mutilated bodies lying in a street as bystanders gathered and tried to cover them in the rain.
The reported blasts came hours after Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria, the first visit by a sitting pope to the country. The pontiff is on an African tour that also includes Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
No direct link has been established between the alleged incidents and the papal visit. Security had already been tightened for the trip, which is being closely watched because of Algeria’s small Christian minority and its historic ties to Saint Augustine.
Confusion still surrounds the case. Algerian authorities have not publicly confirmed the attacks, while the African Union withdrew an earlier statement condemning the alleged incident, saying the information could not be verified.
Algeria continues to confront remnants of armed Islamist groups from its 1990s civil war, but suicide bombings have become rare. The last recorded suicide attack was reported in February 2020, when a military base near the Malian border was targeted.
The lack of official confirmation has left many questions unanswered, including the exact location, timing, motive and whether anyone besides the two suspected attackers was injured. For now, the reports have added tension to a landmark papal visit focused on peace, interfaith dialogue and Africa’s growing role in the Catholic Church.
