Algeria: Washington's travel warning has no foundation

The Algerian Foreign Ministry today described the US’ warning to its nationals against traveling to Algeria as having no basis as there is no problem with the security situation in the country.

In a statement issued by the Algerian Foreign Ministry, a copy of which was received by the Anadolu news agency, Abdul Aziz Bin Ali Al-Sharif, spokesman for the ministry, said: “The new version of the travel warning document published by the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the State Department last Wednesday is considered a ‘none-event’.”

He added that the form is a “routine document which is sent out to all US nationals who are in Algeria or are considering going there, for considerations relating to the law of their own country.”

On Wednesday evening, the State Department issued a statement warning its citizens against traveling to Algeria because of the growing threat of terrorism and kidnappings. This warning was the fourth of its kind since the beginning of the year.

The spokesman pointed out that “this document is unrelated to the actual security situation in Algeria, nor to the quality of the US-Algerian partnership in a number of core areas, and will unfortunately divert attention from actual threats of terrorism elsewhere, where greater vigilance is required.”

“The emphasis which indicates that two terrorist organisations still remain on Algerian soil is not entirely founded, similar to the warnings on July 4 on the possibility of attacks against hotels in Algiers.”

The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry also asked about applying the stereotypical charge of terrorism to Algeria even though Algeria, from a strategic point of view, has prevailed over terrorism, and has become one of the main actors which combat terrorism in the world.