Algerian imams prepare for returning Daesh militants

Algerian imams are reportedly preparing for a possible return of Algerian fighters who have joined Daesh abroad, according to the Minister of Religious Affairs, Mohamed Aissa.

“I assure you, as head of Religious Affairs, that our imams have prepared themselves well” Aissa said at a press conference.

According to Aissa, the Algerian government has taken care to put in place measures and laws aimed at the “control and treatment of Daesh fighters” should they decide to return legally to their country of origin.

Daesh fighters who choose to return to Algeria in a clandestine way, crossing “illegally”, “will find at their reception the National People’s Army and the security services”, warned the minister.

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The highest concentration of fighters joining Daesh in North Africa has come from Tunisia but the threat of returning fighters from once Daesh-strongholds, such as Libya and Syria, has raised concerns for their native countries, such as Algeria, on how best to deal with it.

The National People’s Army in Algeria regularly launches operations against militants in the country which include destroying weapon caches, infiltrating cells and killing militants, who have lost influence in the country following the 1990’s civil war.