Algeria calls on France to guarantee regional stability

Algeria is reported to have requested France guarantee regional stability if the West decides to intervene militarily in Libya, a diplomatic source revealed yesterday.

Libya has been witnessing turmoil since the collapse of former Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The source, who requested anonymity, said: “The French Chief of the Defence Staff General Pierre de Villiers discussed, during his visit to Algeria, two issues, the first is Algeria’s request that any potential Western military operations in Libya will avoid targeting civilians because this would impact the security in the Maghreb region, and the second is to guarantee establishing a force capable of maintaining and imposing stability in Libya after the military operation.”

He continued: “Algeria has rejected any military operation that could involve the targeting of civilians in the event of waging military strikes against jihadist Salafist groups in Libya” noting that any military action against civilians in Libya will affect the security and stability of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.

The source pointed out that “the Algerian officials asked the French government to provide security guarantees in exchange for cooperating in the military operation.”

He said: “Algeria’s experience with external intervention in Libya is not very reassuring. The first military intervention, which occurred in 2011, led to a spiral of chaos and instability.”