Algerian minister blames media for food riots

An Algerian minister blamed a series of lethal riots that have spread across the country since January 2 on the foreign media, Saturday.

Minister of Housing, Abd al-Majeed Taboun, said that TV news channels had ignited the riots, which started after a tax increase was approved by the government on 29 December.

"There are people who are masterful in manipulating the emotions of the masses at major news agencies who are engaged in a conspiracy - to create doubts over the role of the Algerian state," Taboun said.

Violent riots broke out across the country on January 2, particularly in the Mediterranean town of Bejaia, with large groups of young men burning tires in the streets and attacking riot-police.

Many protesters said they were angry about the increase in food prices, which were already considered high in a country where the average salary is around $300 a month.

Similar riots broke out in January 2011, , referred to as the "oil and sugar uprising", leading to political instability similar to other North African countries including Libya, Tunisia and Egypt.

The tax increase was part of a string of austerity measures introduced by the government in order to plug a large and hole in its finances.

The annual budget for 2017 forecasts a $12 billion deficit in government income, due almost entirely to low oil prices.

Taboun was speaking at a press event for a major public housing development project, which will reportedly see 150,000 new homes built across the country.