Algeria denies dismissals, arrests of army leaders

The Algerian Ministry of Defence denied circulating news that the country’s President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, had launched a campaign of dismissals and arrests of army leaders. The ministry said in a statement seen by Anadolu Agency that “websites and social media circulated on Friday false information and rumours about the dismissal and arrest of a number of central leaders and high-ranking army staff.”

“The Ministry of Defence absolutely refutes this malicious propaganda issued by voices and interests that did not like the changes announced by the President of the Republic, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the Minister of Defence,” added the statement.

Algerian websites, mostly belonging to opposition groups abroad, circulated news that army leaders had been sacked even though no official announcement had been made.

The ministry said this comes as part of “a desperate attempt to spread bewilderment and doubt among the ranks of the army.”

The ministry also stressed that all decisions taken in this framework “are dealt with in the media with all required transparency, and the public is informed about them at a convenient time.”

President Tebboune, who assumed power in December 2019, has recently changed a number of army leaders, including the Land Forces Command and the Internal and External Security Intelligence divisions.

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