An Algerian group has urged France to put pressure on the government over the thousands of people who “disappeared” during the decade-long conflict with Islamic groups. SOS Disparus (SOS Disappeared), which represents the families of those who went missing, wants French President Jacques Chirac to raise the issue during his visit this weekend to the former French colony. On Thursday, New York-based lobby group Human Rights Watch blamed both the government security services and the armed Islamic groups for kidnapping innocent civilians. The number of people who have gone missing in Algeria since the beginning of the 1990s varies between 5,000 and 10,000. SOS Disparus says that it has received assurances from the French authorities that the issue will be raised when Mr Chirac meets Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Full Story