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Algeria: Chief of Staff threatens to reveal truth about advocates of transition

August 27, 2019 at 3:09 am

Algeria’s Chief of Staff and Deputy Defence Minister, Ahmed Gaid Salah [Johnny Bivera/Wikipedia]

In a speech during his visit to the 2nd Military Region, the Algerian Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah:

  •  Praised the “sincere efforts” of the dialogue team and its “encouraging” results.
  •  Renewed the rejection of the army leadership of any departure from constitutional legitimacy.
  •  “We have confirmed information about the involvement of “advocates of the transition” in the service of their narrow interests and their masters.”

Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah, chief of staff of the Algerian army, praised on Monday the “sincere efforts” of the dialogue team, threatening what he called “advocates of the transition” to “reveal their truth.”

This came in a speech delivered by Gaid Salah during his visit to the 2nd Military Region (northwest), to oversee the submarines’ naval manoeuvres.

READ: Algeria’s Islamic party refuses to meet dialogue panel

State television quoted the army chief of staff saying: “I would like to pay tribute to the sincere patriotic efforts of the National Commission for Mediation and Dialogue, and I commend the encouraging results achieved in a relatively short time.”

He called on “honourable and benevolent people to contribute to the enrichment of this dialogue, which should focus on the preparation of transparent presidential elections as soon as possible.”

Since its formation in July, the National Commission for Mediation and Dialogue, which includes independent personalities, has been meeting with the leadership of several parties and organisations to discuss a way out of the current crisis, to organise the presidential elections.

Lieutenant General Gaid Salah renewed the army leadership’s rejection of “any departure from constitutional legitimacy to avoid the dire consequences of transitional stages.”

He also threatened to reveal the identities of “advocates of abolishing the constitution and initiating a transitional phase.” He noted that “the army has confirmed information about their involvement in the service of their narrow interests and the service of their masters.” Thus, he referred to their dependence on foreign bodies.

READ: Algeria’s Union of Judges attacks Minister of Justice after arrests against its members