Sixteen passengers died and another three were injured, mostly sub-Saharan Africans, on Monday when two pickup trucks collided in southern Algeria, rescue services and local media reported.

The accident took place on a highway in the country’s desert south, the civil protection agency said on Facebook.

Out of the 16 victims, 14 were from African countries further south and two were Algerians, according to local media, which said the accident took place between Reggane and Bordj Badji Mokhtar in the vast country’s southwest.

The government’s road safety agency blames speeding, both by private drivers and public transport, for Algeria’s high rate of accidents.

In 2021, Algeria recorded more than 7,000 traffic accidents which killed at least 2,643 people and left in excess of 11,000 injured.

Algerian roads are among the most dangerous in the region but other North African countries also see thousands of road deaths annually. (AFP via Channels)