Algeria: Campaign against militants

Algeria | 09 October 2016

An article by Reuters on 29 September 2016 contains Algerian army reports on operations against Islamic militants in the eastern Batna province. The Ministry of Defense disclosed that the army had killed about fifty militants in the first half of 2016. The 5 militants killed in the most recent forest sweep in September are believed to be associated with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb or Islamic State, both of which are active in remote parts of the country. Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "As is the case in most North African states, Algeria faces a serious threat from Islamic militant groups operating in the region. Given that these groups intend to create a society in which their vision of an Islamic society leaves no room for Christians, it could be argued that the campaigns conducted by the Algerian army are to a certain extent protecting the wellbeing of Christians."