Algeria: gendarmes and policemen “comb” Batna

Security forces last weekend seized two home-made firearms and ammunition inside a man’s house in Akchida district in Batna province (east of Algeria).

• Investigators are searching for these firearms’ source and their destination within the spread of weapon workshops over Barika in Batna.
• The Gendarmerie forces in the same province seized19 home-made hunting rifles during the first three months, each piece worth more than seven million centimes.
• Asked where these firearms are used, the commander of the provincial group of the Gendarmerie in Batna said a gang of 19 people was dismantled last year. They were attacking civilians with these arms.
• He confirmed that they did not handle any case concerning false checkpoints or armed attacks this year.
• Fears of coordination between arms smuggling networks and terrorists in Batna have been raised, according to information available to Echorouk.
•  Four battalions are activating in this province under the banner of the Salafist group in the sixth zone. They are “El Fath”, “El Ansar” and “El Intissar.” The most important one is the “Death” battalion which contains new recruited suicide cell. They came from western areas and El Oued province (south). They tried to join Iraqi resistance. The suicide bomber Mokdad ELwahrani, who targeted president’s convoy on his visit to Batna belonged to that battalion as well as the suicide bomber who had been arrested in Oran province (west).