The Algerian Civil War (Arabic: الحرب الأهلية الجزائرية, romanized: al-Ḥarb al-Ahlīyah al-Jazāʼirīyah), known in Algeria as the Black Decade (Arabic: العشرية السوداء, romanized: al-ʻAshrīyah al-Sawdāʼ; French: La décennie noire), was a civil war fought between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups from 11 January 1992 (following a coup negating an Islamist electoral victory) to 8 February 2002. The war began slowly, as it initially appeared the government had successfully crushed the Islamist movement, but armed groups emerged to declare violent jihad, and by 1994, violence had reached such a level that it appeared the government might not be able to withstand it. By 1996–97, it had become clear that the Islamist resistance had lost its popular support, although fighting continued for several years after.
The war has been referred to as "the dirty war'"(la sale guerre), and saw extreme violence and brutality used against civilians. During the conflict Islamists targeted journalists, over 70 of whom were killed, as well as remaining ethnic European pieds-noirs still living in the country after independence and foreigners, over 100 of whom were killed, although it is thought by many that security forces as well as Islamists were involved in targeting civilians, as the government had infiltrated the insurgents. Children were widely used, particularly by the rebel groups. Total fatalities have been estimated at 44,000 to between 40000 and 50000.
The conflict
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