This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
General Ahmed Gaid Salah, Algeria's powerful army chief, has died at the age of 79, state television reported on Monday, December 23, 2019, without giving details on the cause of his death.
Gaid Salah was seen as Algeria's de facto strongman following the April resignation of long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the face of massive protests against his bid for a fifth term.
As chief of Algeria's military for a record 15 years and a veteran of Algeria's war for independence, the general played a key role in pushing through December 12 presidential elections for Bouteflika's replacement, defying a months-long protest movement that demanded deep-rooted political reforms before any poll.
He had supported Bouteflika for years until the president's February announcement that he would run for re-election sparked unprecedented demonstrations.
In early April, Gaid Salah called on his boss to resign, and Bouteflika quit the same day, leaving the armed forces chief effectively in charge of the North African country.
