Mass grave from Algerian war found

ALGIERS, Algeria -- A mass grave containing the bodies of about 300 Algerian fighters has been found at the site of a former French army headquarters.

The skeletons, many showing signs of torture, have been dated to the 1954-62 Algerian independence war against France, the Algerian War Veterans Ministry said.

The grave was discovered last month during water canal-building works in Tebessa province, about 630 km (390 miles) east of Algiers.

"The skeletons bore marks of torture and mutilation," a ministry spokeswoman told Reuters news agency.

She added that they had been fighters of the National Liberation Front (FLN).

The mass grave was the biggest of FLN fighters found in the past decade, the pro-government newspaper El Moudjahid said.

Tebessa, which borders Tunisia, was the scene of bloody battles between independence fighters and the French army during the war.

Last year, two top French generals told a newspaper that summary executions were common during the conflict.

Algeria talks amid 'dirty war' claims
February 13, 2001

Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
French Army

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