APS : Thursday, 02 June 2016
WASHINGTON- (United States)- US Department of State, in its annual report on global counterterrorism 2015, greeted the Algerian approach to the fight against terrorism and top authorities’ effective dealing with this threat over more than two decades, stressing that “Algeria remained an important counterterrorism partner.”
The US document, named Country Reports on Terrorism 2015, covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2015, underlines Algeria’s “long history of fighting terrorism and has devoted considerable resources to advancing its security agenda.”
The report mentioned the various Algerian security services involved in fighting terrorism.
“Military forces and multiple law enforcement, intelligent and security services with delineated responsibilities addressed counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, border security and crisis response.”
It cited the different terrorist organizations the Algerian security forces are fighting.
“Al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Mali-based Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), al-Murabitoun and Jund Al-Khilafah were active terrorist threats within Algeria and along its borders.”
It noted that Jund Al-Khilafah “has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The report added that “four other Algerian factions have issued statements claiming allegiance to ISIL, but there was little indication that these groups contained more than a small number of fighters.”
“The Algerian Government maintained a strict ‘no concessions’ policy with regard to individuals or groups holding its citizens hostage,” the US Department of State wrote in its 2015 report, pointing out that “although the criminal groups engaged in kidnapping, there were no report of kidnappings executed by terrorist groups in 2015.”
In addition, the report stressed that “Algerian government officials have declined to join the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, citing its ‘cardinal principle’ of non-intervention in sovereign nations’ affairs. Nevertheless, Algeria actively supported the effort to counter ISIL in other ways, such as intelligence sharing, imam training, capacity-building programs with neighbouring states, and participation in the White House Countering Violent Extremism Summit process.”
