Blasts hit Algerian capital
Dozens killed in suicide bomb attacks in Algerian capital
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Tuesday, 11, Dec 2007 10:11
Dozens of people have been killed after two explosions struck the heart of the Algerian capital this morning.
At least 62 people have died so far, with medical teams warning that the death-toll is likely to rise following the blasts in Algiers.
The first explosion, which took place at about 09:30 local time (08:30 GMT) and has been reported as a suicide bomb attack, claimed the lives of about 30 people near the supreme court, with television pictures showing the shell of a burned out school bus.
About ten minutes later the second blast was reported in the nearby Hydra district, where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has offices.
UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond has confirmed that members of the commission's staff are among the victims of the car bomb.
Roads surrounding the affected areas have been closed as rescue teams attempt to free survivors from the rubble.
No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts as yet, although al-Qaida has carried out similar attacks in Algeria in the past.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has already condemned the explosions in a telephone call to his Algerian counterparty Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
A statement from UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attacks.
"The United Nations is currently working closely with local authorities to account for UN personnel who may be missing," the statement added.