Death toll rises to 26 in Algerian wildfires, minister says

The number of victims of wildfires in Algeria has risen to 26 from eight reported earlier, the country's interior minister said on Wednesday.

The wildfires had been burning in the mountainous areas east of Algeria, and the victims were from the provinces of Al Taref, and Setif.

Animals, trees were also not spared from the fires, the majority of which firefighters and helicopters managed to get under control throughout the day on Thursday.

A year ago, at least 65 were killed in the Kabylie region.