Algeria : Al-Qaeda’s attacks reveal failure in suicide bombs

Terrorist groups stepped up attacks against army patrols in checkpoints and ambushes in the last few weeks in addition to target security troops which accompany foreign workers.Security observers consider that as a strategy adopted by terrorists groups seeking at dispersing army forces’ concentration. The army has imposed a stressing blockade on terrorist’s strongholds in many areas as well as attempted to lift individuals’ moral within the failure to carry out suicide attacks.

The command of the so- called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb led by Abdelmalek Droudkel has intensified assaults against security patrols in different areas at its main strongholds. Terrorist attacks were mainly recorded in Bouira and Boumerdes provinces (east of Algiers).

Previously, the terrorists targeted members of the National Gendarmerie and municipal guards who ensure security coverage for workers working on the East-West motorway in  Boumerdes and Bouira. They were targeted by remote-controlled bombs and army patrols were also targeted. The latest attack happened in Al-Qadiria, Bouira where three soldiers were killed in an explosion of two hand-made bombs as the army’s truck passed by.

The command of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, according to observers, would have adopted a strategy to face the siege imposed on its main strongholds in the second zone, especially in Boumerdes  and Tizi Ouzou  for a so long time. That resulted in a lack of victual and equipment and led to frustration among terrorists, according to terrorists who have recently surrendered.

On the other hand, observers say that the recent attacks constitute “an expression of the failure of suicide attacks that Al-Qaeda used to implement since April 11th, 2007 to attract media.

In addition, observers do not exclude an attempt of the so-called the Sunni Group for Preaching and Fighting led by Lesslouss alias Assem  to steal weapons of victim soldiers and use them in terror acts afterwards.

A security official told Echorouk Al Yaoumi that he doesn’t exclude the presence of terrorist groups which try to attack areas besieged by the army,divert the attention from their main strongholds and disperse the army’s capacities and concentration.

Recent attacks reflect once again the control of the GIA’s remnants over terrorist groups especially the so called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Its recent attacks embodied touches of the bloodthirsty Zawabiri.