Algeria's former president Liamine Zeroual laid to rest with military honours

There were full military honors for Algeria’s former president, Liamine Zeroual, on Monday as the 84-year-old former general was laid to rest in his home town of Batna.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was among the mourners.

Zeroual died on Saturday at a military hospital in Algiers after a long illness.

He held the country’s highest political office from 1994 to 1999.

He began his career at in Algeria’s National Liberation Army, fighting for independence from French rule. By 1988 he was a general and became minister of defense five years later.

After organizing the country’s first pluralistic presidential election in 1995, he was elected with more than 60 percent of the vote.

He remained popular in retirement but refused to return to the presidency, despite several attempts to get him to stand again.

Algeria honored his death with three days of mourning.