The funeral of Algeria's powerful army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah got underway Wednesday as his remains arrived at the People's Palace, images broadcast by state TV showed.

The wooden coffin containing the body of Gaid Salah, who died of a heart attack on Monday aged 79, arrived at 0630 GMT, covered in a national flag and carried by officers.

Surrounded by large numbers of motorcycle outriders, the funeral procession converged on the palace, which was built in the 18th century for Ottoman governors.

Gaid Salah became the country's de facto strongman after longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika was forced to step down in the face of huge street protests in April.

Interim military chief of staff Said Chengriha was in attendance, while President Abdelmadjid Tebboune arrived a little after the procession.

Tebboune won a December 12 presidential election with 58.1 percent of the vote on a turnout of less than 40 percent, according to official results, in a poll dismissed by protesters as a ploy by Gaid Salah and other establishment figures to consolidate their power.

After his win, Tebboune awarded Gaid Salah the National Order of Merit, Algeria's highest honour. After the general's death he announced three days of national mourning.

Abdelkader Bensalah, interim president after Bouteflika's fall, and other senior personalities also gathered in front of the coffin.

Images broadcast by several TV stations showed a crowd massed at the gates of the palace to pay their final respects to Gaid Salah, who served as army chief for 15 years.

State TV later played images of small groups of civilians entering the palace complex and briefly stopping in front of the coffin to pay their respects.

The religious affairs ministry asked imams to lead prayers in Gaid Salah's memory on Wednesday.

He was due to be buried shortly after 1200 GMT in Martyrs' Square in Al-Alia cemetery, where former presidents and other major Algerian figures are laid to rest.

Algerians protest despite day of mourning for army chief
Algiers (AFP) Dec 24, 2019 - Protesters filled the streets of Algeria's capital Tuesday, defying calls for a day of mourning for the deceased army chief seen as the guardian of the system they want dismantled.

Powerful military chief of staff Ahmed Gaid Salah died of a heart attack at age 79 on Monday, and newly-sworn in president Abdelmadjid Tebboune called for three days of mourning.

Nonetheless, students and other protesters held their regular Tuesday demonstration as they have every week since February, when protests broke out in the North African country against the political system in place since Algeria's 1962 independence from France.

Gaid Salah was seen as Algeria's de facto strongman following the April resignation of longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the face of mass demonstrations sparked by his bid for a fifth term.

The army chief's funeral will be held on Wednesday, the presidency said, adding that his body would be interred at the Al-Alia cemetary in western Algiers, the final resting place of other presidents and senior Algerian figures.

Previous protests had slammed Gaid Salah, particularly in the lead-up to a December 12 presidential election rejected by protesters who demanded deep-rooted political reforms before any poll.

Gaid Salah was instrumental in pushing for the vote that elected establishment insider Tebboune.

On Monday, however, there were no slogans or placards directly targeting Gaid Salah.

"We are not against one person, but against a system," said biology student Kahina, 22.

"We agreed that there would be no anti-Gaid slogans or signs out of respect for the dead."

Some onlookers considered it "shameful" to protest despite the mourning period.

"It goes against our values, we must respect mourning," said Amine, 27, who added that he has taken part in most of the major weekly Friday demonstrations held since February 22.

But many students protesting told AFP that the death of Gaid Salah changed nothing for the movement.

Demonstrations have continued since the election of Tabboune, with protesters rejecting his invitation for dialogue and his vow to appoint young ministers and push for a new constitution.

Rumours had circulated ahead of the Tuesday march that the student protest would be cancelled, and fewer people appeared to have turned out for the rally.

The police presence was lighter as well, with the march progressing peacefully before it was dispersed by security forces in the early afternoon.

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