DJANET, Algeria — Earlier this month, a tragic incident occurred in Algeria when a Swiss tourist lost her life, despite the country’s recent efforts to boost its appeal as a travel destination and move beyond its turbulent past marked by instability and terrorism in the Sahara region.

On October 11, the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the “violent death” of an unnamed Swiss citizen, who was traveling within a group of five fellow tourists. Communication with Algerian officials has been ongoing regarding this incident, but local authorities have yet to respond to inquiries or deliver a public statement as of the latest updates.

In comparison to its neighboring countries like Morocco and Tunisia, Algeria has remained less frequented by tourists, primarily due to its requirement for almost all foreign visitors to secure visas for entry. Nevertheless, Algeria is actively reforming its tourism sector, simplifying the visa application processes specifically for organized tour groups that wish to explore the spectacular landscapes of the Sahara. This includes popular destinations such as Djanet, which serves as an entry point to the remarkable Tassili n’Ajjer National Park.

This incident marks the first killing of a foreign visitor in Algeria in several years, raising concerns about safety in a country that has been working diligently to restore its tourism industry.

Over the past decades, Algerian authorities have grappled with the challenges of securing their extensive borders, which intersect with several neighboring countries. In 2003, a troubling event unfolded when militants abducted 32 European tourists. The situation escalated in 2013 when jihadists connected to al-Qaeda attacked an oil facility, taking hundreds of workers hostage, both local and international, leading to the deaths of at least 39 foreign captives during the crisis.

The instability in the region intensified following the fall of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and subsequent Tuareg uprisings in northern Mali, factors that have exacerbated the issues of weapon proliferation and drug trafficking throughout the area.