Sectarian attacks in Algeria's desert city of Ghardaia [6] (see map [7]) have left five dead over the past week—including one young Berber man who a local official said was knifed to death and disfigured under the eyes of police. Local Mozabite [8] Berbers, adherents of the Ibadi [9] sect, are apparently being targeted by Chaamba [10] Arabs, followers of the Malekite [11] branch of Sunni Islam. Troops of the National Police and Gendarmerie were rushed to the city this weekend, and 10 arrested in connection with the violence. There have been repeated clashes in the city since December, but the violence reached a climax on Feb. 4 when a Mozabite teaching center was torched. (AFP [12], Feb. 9; AP [13], Algeria Press Service [14], Feb. 8)
