Tahar Wattar, leading Arab-language writer, dies at 74

ALGIERS, Algeria - Tahar Wattar, one of Algeria's leading Arab-language writers, who used his novels to explore his nation's struggle for independence from France and its post-colonial history, has died, a friend and the official APS news agency said.

He was 74.

A noted writer and friend, Wassini Laaredj, told The Associated Press that Wattar died yesterday after a "long illness." Wattar had been hospitalized for cancer treatment on various occasions in Paris.

Wattar was known for his adversarial position toward Algeria's French-language authors, whom he at one point denounced as "vestiges of colonialism." One of the North African nation's most prolific Arabic-language authors, Wattar revisited Algeria's post-colonial history in his novels, sometimes using symbolism and allegory, as the nation tried to form an identity following its 1962 independence after more than 130 years of French rule and a bloody war.

Among Wattar's best-known novels are "Al Laz," his first novel - written in 1974 - and named after the lead character in the book, "A Mule's Wedding" (1978) and "The Fisherman and the Palace" (1980).

Wattar also wrote plays as well as short stories such as "The Martyrs Are Coming Back This Week" and "Smoke From My Heart."

Born in Sedratta, 260 miles from Algiers, Wattar had his first story published in 1956, in neighboring Tunisia. He remained active in publishing later in life, founding in 1996 a magazine dedicated to short stories.- AP