Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal has started Thursday afternoon a working visit to Ghardaia (600-km south of Algiers) following the painful evens that have been witnessed in region since the beginning of July, and which claimed the lives of 22 people.

The visit is part of the implementation of the decisions taken Wednesday by President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, during an emergency meeting devoted to the current situation in Ghardaia, and during which the Head of State instructed Prime Minister to "ensure that the Public prosecutor's department deals promptly and severely with all the violations of the law in the province of Ghardaia, mainly the breach of the security and safety of persons and properties."

Sellal, who is leading a large delegation comprising Minister of Justice Tayeb Louh, Commander of the National Gendarmerie, Lieutenant General Ahmed Boustila, will inquire about the situation in the southern province.

The Minister of Interior and Local Authorities Nourredine Bedoui went Wednesday to Ghardaia accompanied by the Police chief, Major General Abdelghani Hamel, and the Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie, General Nouba Menad.

During the emergency meeting on the situation in Ghardaia, President Bouteflika instructed the commander of the 4th Military Region to supervise the action of the security services and local authorities to restore and maintain law and order across the province.

The Government was also instructed to speed up, under the supervision of the Prime Minister, the implementation of the different programmes to boost the economic and social development and the return to normal life throughout the province of Ghardaia.