Algeria expands security cooperation for combatting terrorism to 8 African countries

The Algerian army’s leadership has expanded its security and military coordination in the fields of border control and counter-terrorism operations to eight African countries.

Previously Algeria had cooperation agreements with only three neighbouring countries: Mauritania, Niger and Mali.

An Algerian security source told the Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity that since 2014, the army has been coordinating border control and counter-terrorism operations with eight countries.

The crisis in Libya, which escalated in 2014, the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) group, the growing threat of the Boko Haram movement in Nigeria, and the emergence of armed Jihadist Salafist groups in neighbouring Tunisia compelled Algeria to coordinate its security and military activities with more countries.

According to the same source, these security agreements with eight African countries have bilaterally or collectively been signed in order to control the borders, prevent the smuggling of weapons and face terrorist threats through the exchange of information.