Retired general announces bid for Algerian presidency

<p>By Hassan Jebril</p> <p>ALGIERS (AA) – A retired Algerian army general on Thursday announced plans to contest presidential elections slated for July 4.</p> <p>Ghediri, 64, retired from the military in 2015 after serving as director of human resources at the Defense Ministry for 15 years.</p> <p>Holding a PhD in political science, Ghediri graduated from the Naval Academy in St. Petersburg before earning a degree in naval engineering from Moscow’s Military Academy.</p> <p>The Algerian army is currently overseeing a 90-day transitional period during which presidential elections will be held.</p> <p>On Tuesday, Parliament Speaker Abdelkader Bensaleh was appointed interim president, vowing to hold “fair and transparent” elections within 90 days. </p> <p>Bensaleh replaces President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who stepped down last week after two decades in power following weeks of popular protests against his rule.</p>