After just two days of operation in Algeria, the inaugural branch of the American fast-food chain KFC in the capital Algiers shut down amidst protests against US support for Israel.
Several Western brands, including KFC, face global boycott campaigns over allegations of providing financial aid to Israel during its conflict with the Gaza Strip.
The Algiers branch, located in the Dali Ibrahim area, ceased operations on Wednesday, shortly after opening on Monday, according to Algerian media reports.
Demonstrators gathered outside the branch soon after its opening, accusing KFC of backing Israel in its ongoing conflict with the Palestinian enclave since October 7, 2023. Algerian authorities have not yet commented on the closure of the KFC branch.
Israel launched a military offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border Hamas attack, resulting in nearly 1,200 casualties.
The conflict has led to the deaths of over 33,900 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and left over 76,600 others wounded amid widespread destruction and shortages.
The Israeli offensive has displaced 85% of Gaza’s population, exacerbating shortages of essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine, while causing significant damage to 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure, as reported by the UN.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, with an interim ruling in January urging Tel Aviv to cease genocidal acts and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
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