ALGERIA Weekly Report
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ALGERIA Weekly Report 17 - 23 May 2018 1 Executive Summary Algeria Weekly Summary Summary Between 17 and 23 May 2018, there were 60 critical incidents in Algeria, including 34 deaths, 31 of which were caused by TABLE OF CONTENTS road traffic accidents. 196 arrests were also recorded, including those of eight Islamic insurgents, 18 drug traffickers Executive Summary 2 and 128 immigrants. This week, criminal incidents accounted for 33.33% of the total incident pool, followed by human and Significant Events 3 social crises with 31.67% and security and defense-related Political & General 4 incidents with 21.67%. Security 7 Eight al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) insurgents Economy 8 surrendered in Tamanrasset, Adrar and Jijel this week, benefitting from the general amnesty program began by Outlook 10 President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the late nineties. Many Forecast of Events 2018 11 others are expected to follow suit during the holy month of About Constellis 12 Ramadan, considering their lack of support and resources in Algeria, as well as the tense military situation in the Sahel. On 16 May, a pro-Islamic State recruitment cell was dismantled in Mostaganem, and 12 members were apprehended. This report created concerns by security agencies as it was believed that IS operatives had fled Algeria to neighbouring countries. The cell that was apprehended was responsible for radicalizing and recruiting young insurgents, who would then move on to Libya, Tunisia or the Sahel. An investigation is underway to determine possible ties to foreign or local groups. In Bordj Badji Mokhtar, a weapons cache containing war-grade weapons was discovered. Rocket heads, propelling charges and detonators were seized. In Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Bejaia and Khenchela, 16 homemade explosives were found during ongoing large-scale counter-terrorism operations. On 21 May, two dead bodies were found in a Sidi Bel-Abbes mosque with their throats cut. The gendarmerie has launched an investigation into the incident, which locals reported was reminiscent of civil war executions. In Tizi Ouzou, street merchants clashed with the police on the first day of Ramadan, though no casualties were reported. Further activity is however expected as merchants have been barred from occupying the street located in front of the downtown marketplace. In just four days, 1,136 road traffic accidents claimed 31 lives nationwide. During Ramadan, road accidents account for higher numbers of casualties, largely due to tiredness and speeding. This has led the authorities to take a stricter approach in regulating traffic. Commercial in Confidence & Subject to Contract 2 Copyright Constellis 2018. All rights reserved. Significant Events: 17 - 23 May 2018 Algeria Weekly Summary Tizi Ouzou: 17 May 2018: Algiers: 17 May 2018: Setif: 17 May 2018: Mostaganem: 16 May Street merchants and police 7,000 policemen mo- One dead, many 2018: Terrorist cell dis- clash in Tizi Ouzou. bilized to secure capi- reported missing as mantled in Mostaga- tal during Ramadan. storm ravages Setif. nem. Mostaganem: 16 May 2018: Distribution of Rama- dan food aid turns into a protest in Mostaganem. Tebessa: 20-22 May Sidi Bel Abbes: 21 May 2018: Flooding affects 2018: Two bodies with Northern Algeria: 16 May 2018: Dozen Tebessa and Oum el- throats cut found in Sidi Bel of hideouts discovered and seven IEDs Bouaghi. Abbes mosque. seized in Tizi Ouzou, Jijel and Bejaia Illizi: 19 May 2018: Three Adrar: 21 May 2018: Want- armed men arrested near ed militant surrenders in Libyan border. Adrar. Tamanrasset: 21-22 May 2018: Five insurgents surren- der in Tamanrasset on 21 and 22 May. Commercial in Confidence & Subject to Contract 3 Copyright Constellis 2018. All rights reserved. Political & General Algeria Weekly Summary Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister speaks against Algeria Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister, Nasser Bourita, took to Twitter to denounce the alleged role of Algeria in the Western Sahara crisis. In a series of tweets, he denounced, "A military escalation that is unfolding with the blessing and complicity of Algeria, which is violating the charter African Union by closing its borders and sheltering an armed movement that is threatening another member of the AU." Bourita added that Algeria and the Polisario remain accountable to the Nasser Bourita, Foreign Affairs Minister of Morocco, speaks against Algeria international community. Algeria on social media. (Photo: MAP) has yet to respond to the tweets, though tensions between the two UN criticizes Algeria for Parliamentarians take a countries are heightened. mass deportations of stand against absenteeism migrants sanctions and demand President Bouteflika The United Nations called on increased pay denounces political and Algeria to put an end to its During a debate on the new draft ideological activism in crackdown on undocumented rules of procedure, MPs from universities immigrants and deportations. opposition and presidential On the occasion of the 68th Hassen Kacimi, a senior official at majority parties stood against any anniversary of Student Day in Algeria's Interior Ministry, sanctions for absenteeism in Algeria, President Bouteflika responded by claiming that Algeria parliament. This came in reaction released a statement read by the called for assistance from the to the government's threat of Minister of Higher Education, international community, while the enforcing article 69, which Azzedine Mihoubi. In his message, United Nations had done little to stipulates that MPs should attend the President deplored growing protect the migrants. UN all plenary sessions or face political and ideological activism in spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani sanctions. Not only did all MPs Algerian universities. “Universities told a UN briefing in Geneva that condemn this article, but most help create the future of Algeria deportations and expulsions have demanded a pay increase and and its people. It is not a place for increased markedly since the diplomatic passports. political and ideological struggles” second half of 2017, and that a UN the statement read. The President human rights team was this month Sidi Bel Abbes Governor also rebuked all criticism of sent to Niger to investigate. causes controversy by using Algerian universities, pointing out social media to give mayor ultimatum that a number of Algerian The Governor of Sidi Bel-Abbes, graduates have achieved great Tahar Hachani, gave an ultimatum successes. Commercial in Confidence & Subject to Contract 4 Copyright Constellis 2018. All rights reserved. Political & General Algeria Weekly Summary to the mayor of central Sidi Bel- Abbes, Tewfik Adda Boudjellal, via social media. This caused a backlash due to the informal nature of the directive. The Governor condemned the mayor's "laxity", and gave him 48 hours to comply with instructions to launch infrastructure projects in several areas of the city. Islamist MP accuses PM Ouyahia of favoritism in Hajj quota distribution Lakhdar Benkhellaf, an MP with the Islamist party el-Adala, accused Street merchants clash with police in Tizi Ouzou (Photo: Liberte Algerie) Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia of favoritism toward members of his incident. No casualties were nationwide. The deadliest province party regarding the distribution of however reported. was Ain Defla, where four people quotas for the Hajj pilgrimage in died and 43 were wounded in 32 Mecca. "Ouyahia distributes the Illegal immigration: 128 Sub accidents. Tiredness and speeding quotas as if they were his -Saharan Africans and were the main causes of accidents property," stated MP Benkhellaf, Algerians arrested according to the police. who claimed that five This week, 58 would-be immigrants parliamentary groups were were arrested in Ain Temouchent Local NGOs criticize excluded from the protest. The and Oran after the coast guard and deportation of 1,500 latter urged the President of the the gendarmerie foiled four migrants parliament, Said Bouhadja, to attempts to cross the Several Algerian NGOs, human intervene and investigate the Mediterranean Sea. In Ouargla, rights activists, university students distribution process. Tlemcen, Biskra and Illizi, 70 and the civil society criticized the undocumented immigrants from government after the deportation Human & Social Sub-Saharan Africa were or 1,500 undocumented apprehended by the security immigrants from sub-Saharan Street merchants and forces, according to the Ministry of Africa. In a joint statement, the police clash in Tizi Ouzou Defense. collective asserted that since the On 17 May, street merchants beginning of 2018, a “generalized selling vegetables and fruit in Road traffic accidents: 31 and arbitrary arrest-and- downtown Tizi Ouzou skirmished dead in just four days deport campaign has been led by with the police after the The authorities have warned the authorities against authorities ordered them to vacate commuters about road safety undocumented immigrants from the area located in front of the during Ramadan. Between 17 and sub-Saharan African countries, local market. The merchants threw 21 May, the first four days of the such as Guinea, Burkina Faso, rocks at police officers, who holy month, 31 people were killed Benin, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal retaliated using tear gas. Security and 1,304 others wounded in and Nigeria, among others, 1,500 was reinforced in the city after the 1,136 road traffic accidents of which have been deported in Commercial in Confidence & Subject to Contract 5 Copyright Constellis 2018. All rights reserved. Political & General Algeria Weekly Summary the last few days.” Critics also Social housing seekers begin Online petition puts Red claimed that these operations protests in Oran and Crescent & NGOs at odds were marred by abuse and Constantine The online petition "We are all violations of international human On 21 May, social housing seekers migrants" caused animosity rights laws. staged protests in Oran and between the Algerian Red Crescent Constantine. In Oran, the (CRA) and several Algerian NGOs, Authorities to sanction protesters, who were higher including the Algerian League for corrupt social housing education workers, attempted to the Defense of Human Rights beneficiaries block traffic to denounce the (LADDH).