22 die following clashes over cemetery land

At least 22 people were confirmed dead Thursday morning as a result of clashes between Arab and Berber communities around the Algerian oasis city of Ghardaia.

The city has seen clashes for the last two years, with communities fighting over jobs, housing and land.

But the two days of clashes in Ghardaia and two nearby cities – Guerrara and Berianne – are the most violent yet.

This comes barely hours after Ghardia President Abdelaziz Bouteflika convened an emergency meeting regarding the issue.

In a statement, the president of Algeria urged Ghardaia residents to help in restoring calm and preserve the age-old bonds of brotherhood which have always existed the region

According to reports, the clashes were caused by the desecration of a cemetery belonging to Mozabites in December 2013