Algeria's Bouteflika sacks senior army leaders and aides

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued 14 presidential decrees ending the services of several senior army leaders as well as civilian and military advisers, Algeria’s Official Gazettes reported on Monday.

The Gazettes said the president ended the service of Brigadier Abdul Qadir bin Zakhrofah as chief of staff of the first district, replacing him with General Nur Al-Din Haddad.

The president also ended the service of General Al-Saeid Ziyad in his capacity as chief of staff of the fifth district, east of the country, replacing him with Brigadier Khalifa Guare.

Brigadier Abdul Qadir Awali, chief of staff of the Republican Guard, also had his service ended but no replacement was named.

The services of several aides in the republic’s presidency were ended including the services of General Mohammed Touati, the president’s defence advisor, known in the media as the “brain” and Al-Saeid Bualshair, the president’s legal advisor, Ahmed Amin Kherbi, the president’s advisor, Ali Idris an official in the presidency as well as Yamina Ramadhani, director of studies in the presidency.

Al-Tayyeb Durqin and Lily Talib Hussein were retired from their capacity as vice-directors in the presidency as was General Rashid Zuwein, as office manager of the Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defence and General Yousef Mathkour who serves at the Minister of National Defence’s office.

Late last month Bouteflika ended the services of his Special Adviser and State Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem and ordered his deportation from the state’s apparatus and the ruling party, Algeria Press Service reported.

The circumstances of Belkhadem’s dismissal are still unknown.