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There have been several cases of people attacked by syringe in Algeria. The latest case is that of child injured by a needle attack in the west of the country. The phenomenon of syringe attacks is spreading across the country with the authorities puzzled by the motives of the perpetrators or what the syringes used contain. The latest case took place in Ain Sefra, where on March 7, 2023, a man went to a local police station to report that his six-year-old son was the subject of a brutal injection in front of his school. The perpetrator was not arrested but witnesses say that he or she was wearing a full veil. Analyzes carried out on the child at the hospital did not reveal anything abnormal, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Earlier in the day, authorities in Tiaret reported five similar attacks taken place in recent days. The five victims of these syringe attacks are all girls between 7 and 10 years old. They were hit in their left arm, in front of their schools by “a woman also dressed in a black robe”. Earlier this week, two similar cases were reported by authorities in Boufarik (Blida province) and Birtouta (Algiers).
Last week, three women were arrested in El Attaf (Ain Defla) after allegedly attempting to kidnap a schoolgirl. The prosecutor’s office noted that one of the suspects is known for her “witchcraft” activities, but did not make a link between this case and the phenomenon of child stings.
Authorities have called on parents to teach their children to be vigilant and not to let strangers approach them. While a search for the perpetrators is underway, many commentators speak of witchcraft as a motive of the attacks.
