Wildfires tearing through forested areas of northern Algeria have killed at least 65 people, as the country battled some of the most destructive blazes in its history, writes Reuters.

The government has deployed the army to help fight the fires, which have burnt most fiercely in the mountainous Kabylie region, and 28 of the dead are soldiers.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning and froze state activities not related to the fires.

Forest fires have set large parts of Algeria, Turkey and Greece aflame over the past week as temperatures rose.

Dozens of fires have raged through forest areas across northern Algeria since Monday. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Kamel Beldjoud accused arsonists of igniting the flames, but produced no evidence.