Police and protesters clash in Algiers

Police and protesters clash in a suburb of the Algerian capital.

Residents here are angry at authorities, accusing them of failing to properly investigate the murder of a local man.

Security forces used water cannon and tear gas in an effort to disperse the protesters.

Residents fought back with rocks and petrol bombs.

The father of the victim who was stabbed to death says that authorities failed to prosecute the killer because he's from a well-connected family.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF STABBING VICTIM NOUREDINE AIT OUARETH:

"He has to pay, they must arrest him because he is well known, he is rich, that's all we are asking - the government to do its job and arrest him, he must pay. And it's not us who caused this mess but the officials, this is unacceptable, I only ask them to put in jail those who killed my son."

Protests and rioting have become a regular occurrence in Algeria, a country with many of the same problems that sparked revolts in several of its neighbours.

The unrest has so far been localised and uncoordinated, but analysts say such clashes could swell into a national movement.

Simon Hanna, Reuters.