UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that he welcomed efforts towards a peaceful and democratic transition in Algeria, where weeks of protests have pushed for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to end his 20-year rule. All private Algerian planes are prohibited from departing from and landing in Algeria, a source close to the civil aviation authority and the private Ennahar television station said. Leading Algerian businessman Ali Haddad, who was part of Bouteflika’s inner circle, has been arrested at the Tunisian border, a close associate said on Sunday. “Yes, Haddad has been arrested,” his associate told Reuters on condition of anonymity, without elaborating. Several Algerian television stations broadcast news on the detention of Haddad, a media magnate who helped to fund Bouteflika’s election campaigns over the years.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 31, 2019 15:33 UTC