Thousands took to the streets on the 42nd consecutive Friday of protests against the "shadowy" ruling elite, which has been controlling Algeria since its independence in 1962.

Algerian citizens, who have been protesting since 22 February, called a nationwide general strike for Sunday.

The protests are directed against Army chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, who has become the country's new strongman.

In Algiers and other cities such as Oran, Tizi Ouzu or Constantine, citizens walked the streets guarded by thousands of police and secret service agents.

At the end of March, he accelerated the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who had ruled Algeria for two consecutive decades.

Immediately after his resignation, Gaed Salah launched a "clean hands" campaign, which put dozens of politicians, senior officers, businessmen, journalists and other "Bouteflika clan" members in jail.