Safety and Security

Terrorist Activity

• The Department of State urges U.S. citizens who travel to Algeria to evaluate carefully the risks to their personal safety. 
• There is a high threat of terrorism and kidnapping in Algeria, as noted in the Department of State's most recent Worldwide Caution. 
• Although the major cities are heavily policed, attacks are still possible. 
• The majority of terrorist attacks, including bombings, false roadblocks, kidnappings, and ambushes have historically occurred in the mountainous areas to the east of Algiers (Kabylie region and eastern wilayas) and in the expansive Saharan desert regions of the south and southeast.
• The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to the Kabylie region and remote areas of southern and eastern Algeria.
• See our Travel Warning for Algeria for more information.  U.S. citizens in Algeria should keep a low-profile and avoid predictable travel patterns.

Civil Disturbances

Civil disturbances occur throughout the country.  These disturbances are overwhelmingly based in longstanding socio-economic grievances, including over housing and public sector salaries. Protesters have ignited fireworks, thrown Molotov cocktails, damaged property, looted businesses, and robbed passersby. At times police use tear gas and other means to disperse crowds. 

The Embassy may not be able to provide full emergency consular services in certain areas of the country due to security restrictions.

CRIME:  The crime rate in Algeria is moderate.  Algeria has a very visible police presence throughout the country, including many plain-clothes police officers.  Petty theft and home burglary occur frequently in low income areas, and occasionally in affluent neighborhoods.  Theft of contents and parts from parked cars, pick-pocketing, theft on trains and buses, theft of items left in hotel rooms, and purse snatching are common.  Only stay in hotels where adequate security is provided.

See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information on scams.

VICTIMS OF CRIME:  U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault should first contact the U.S. Embassy at (213)770-08-2200. 

The local equivalents to the “911” emergency line in Algeria are:

Fire: dial 14 from a landline; dial 021-71-14-14 from a mobile phone

Police: dial 17 from a landline; dial 021-73-53-50 from a mobile phone

Ambulance: dial 021-23-63-81

Reliability and response time of emergency services varies, but is not to U.S. standards. Emergency operators may or may not speak French; they normally do not speak English.

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas.

We can:

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical
• support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the U.S. embassy for assistance.

For further information:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
  
  
• Call us in Washington at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
  
  
• See the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts.
  
  
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 
  
  
• See traveling safely abroad for useful travel tips.