25 soldiers die fighting wildfires in northern Algeria

Burned trees are pictured near Tizi Ouzou (Fateh Guidoum/AP)

Algeria’s president has announced that 25 soldiers were killed saving residents from the wildfires ravaging forests and villages east of the capital.

The president of the sprawling North African nation tweeted that the soldiers saved 100 citizens from the blazes in two areas in the mountainous Kabyle region, home of the Berbers.