Algeria's Bouteflika may announce resignation on Thursday, according to media

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika may resign as soon as Thursday, according to a newspaper close to the government, the second time the ailing leader has pledged to step down this month.

If the ailing autocrat decides he will step down when his fourth term ends on 28 April this would make another major U-turn from the leader in response to mass anti-government protests in recent weeks.

Thousands of Algerians took to the streets in protest of the 82-year-old running for a fifth term in office.

In response, Bouteflika conceded to step down from the presidency after his fourth term, before retracting the decision, telling Algerians in a televised statement on Monday he was scrapping elections planned for April and announcing his own programme of reforms.

The announcement of his plans to stay in power for months beyond the expiry of his term, sparked a resurgence of mass demonstrations on Algeria's streets.

Earlier this week, media reported that Bouteflika may in step down on April 28, quoting a source close to the Algerian Presidential Alliance. ALG belongs to the Annahar media company that has close links to the presidency.

The president will make the announcement imminently, probably on Thursday, 21 March according to the source, adding that he had understood the will of the Algerian people who reject any prolonging of his mandate.

No officials have yet confirmed these reports.

In Tuesday’s demonstrations, protesters chanted: "Students are angry, (we) refuse the extension."

Rarely seen in public since a 2013 stroke, Bouteflika's televised announcement on Monday included plans for a "national conference" to discuss reforms.

Tuesday's report precedes an announcement from the Algeria's parliament speaker and member of ruling FLN party Mouad Bouchareb, declaring his opposition to Bouteflika and support of the protest movement.

Agencies contributed to this report.