 During the existence of French Algeria, Bab El Oued was established as the main neighbourhood of poor "pied-noirs", including many poor fishermen.Towards the end of the Algerian War of Independence, the neighbourhood became the stronghold of the Organisation armée secrète, until OAS attacks on the French Army led them to assault and purge the neighbourhood, during the siege of Bab el Oued on March 1962.Soon after, Algeria became independent, and the "pied noir" population fled the country.