Algerians protest against interim president

ALGIERS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Algerians on Friday staged wide scale marches to reject the appointment of Abdelkader Bensalah as interim president.

The marches were conducted across Algeria, while the largest one was in the capital city of Algiers where millions took to the street to demand the departure of the current interim president and members of the care-taking cabinet.

The anti-riot police used hot water tanks and tear-gas grenades to disperse the marching protesters and some of them were suffocated. Several doctors were deployed within the marches and provided first-aid to the suffering protesters.

Later in the day, some clashes erupted between youngsters and anti-riot forces.

Police Department said in a statement that as many as 27 police officers were injured, while 4 of them were seriously wounded, adding that several police vehicles were vandalized and 108 delinquent were arrested.

On Tuesday, Bensalah, 76, was named by the parliament as interim president to replace the resigned President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.