A Swiss tourist was murdered in a gruesome attack at a cafe in Djanet, south-east Algeria, near the border with Libya and Niger, it has been reported.
The sickening attack reportedly saw a man slit the throat of a woman as she sat on a cafe terrace in one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations of Algeria. The man reportedly shouted ‘Allah Akbar’ during the attack. The incident reportedly took place at the Skaner cafe, in broad daylight and in the city centre, next to the Onat, the tourist office of Djanet.
The woman was quickly rushed to a local hospital. Sadly, doctors were unable to save the woman and she was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The suspect assailant was captured at the scene by witnesses as he attempted to flee. A video on social media shows the suspected attacker on the ground as residents shout, “handcuff him, handcuff him”.
Algeria has so far declined to comment on the attack, amid concerns that the incident will damage the country’s fledgling tourist industry.
A source close to people in the area made claims to French newspaper Le Figaro of attempts to silence locals.
The source said: “For the moment, it is completely hushed up. Nothing is coming out, even on social networks. On the ground, the watchword is radio silence. Everyone is complying.”
Switzerland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the murder on Tuesday – nearly two weeks after the attack took place on October 11.
They said that the “violent death” took place while the unnamed woman was in a tour group of five Swiss travellers.
The Swiss officials said they are in contact with Algerian authorities and are offering “support” to the victim’s relatives.
This came as Algeria has sought to attract more tourists in recent years.
The location of the killing – Djanet, near the Tassili n’Ajjer National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site – only opened to tourism in 2022 after years of being off-limits due to security concerns.
In recent years, the country has introduced incentives aimed at attracting foreign tourists and opening up new flight routes. It has also streamlined its visa process.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has warned against all travel to areas along Algeria’s borders.
This includes a warning against all travel to within 30km of Algeria’s borders with: Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia.
