Former Algerian president dies at 96

Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria's first president after the country became independent from France in 1962, has died at the age of 96, Algeria's state-run news agency said Wednesday.

He passed away at his family home in Algiers, Algerie Presse Service reported.

He was taken to a military hospital twice more than a month ago, the news service said.

Ben Bella was president until 1965, when he was deposed in a coup by Houari Boumedienne.

CNN