Algeria: A suicide bombing in Blida during Pope Leo XIV's visit

A suicide bombing struck the city of Blida, about 50 kilometers from Algiers, on Monday, April 13, at the very moment when King Leo XIV was on an official visit to the Algerian capital. According to initial reports, two terrorists detonated their explosives in front of the city's central police station, causing widespread concern in this major urban center.

Security forces responded quickly. Both assailants were killed instantly, and at least one police officer was wounded in the attack. The exact death toll remains uncertain, and authorities have not yet released further details about the precise circumstances of the attack.

This attack comes at a highly symbolic moment, coinciding with the Pope's visit to Algeria, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech in Algiers. The timing of these events raises questions about the message intended by the perpetrators of this attack.

This is the first attack of its kind in Algeria since 2012, a significant event that revives memories of the dark decade of the 1990s, marked by terrorist violence that claimed tens of thousands of victims. This attack comes as a shock to the country, which for several years had been trying to project an image of stability and security.