Escalation 1994–1996 Massacres and reconciliation 1996–1999 Defeat of the GIA 1999–2002 On 8 February 2002, Antar Zouabri, leader of the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria (GIA), was killed at age 31 in a shootout with Algerian security forces in his hometown of Boufarik, 25 km south of Algiers.
[4] Prior to the event, Zouabri had been planning a terrorist attack in Boufarik stadium when it was packed with supporters of two football teams playing a match that day, with two of his close collaborators, Boutheldja Fodhil and Hakim Boumediene.
[2] At the last minute, one of the two collaborators realized that they couldn't enter the stadium without being searched by security guards.
At 3 p.m., security forces surrounded the house, closed all access to the street where the terrorist group stayed, and evacuated civilians to avoid injuries.
An urban police tank smashed down the main door while snipers took positions on the heights of neighboring houses.