Algeria: New military bases in desert to secure borders and counter terrorism

Algeria will step up its air forces activity in the Algerian-Malian-Mauritanian borders area. It transported additional fighting aircrafts and military helicopters to the sixth military zone, Echorouk has learnt.

• The Algerian army plans to set up new military bases and a new air base in the extreme southern borders near terrorist groups’ main activity area.
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• Professional trainers started working with about 200 armed people in the area of Ikidan, north of Mali. This force is the first core of a military force from joint tribal militia, according to sources.
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• Echorouk has learnt from non official sources that a close assistant to terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar alias Khaled Abu Abbas belong to this armed group which attracts Algerian and foreign repentant terrorists and tribes’ men.
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• Malian consul in Tamnrasset Abderrahmane Kla who belongs to Shashanas tribe is one of the supporters of this initiative. It aims at forming a joint militia force of nomads who operate in north of Mali and north of Niger. Those sites are the most important areas for terrorists. 
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• The Sahel’s armies seek to tight the noose on terrorists by using non regular forces in the same sites where supporters of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are operating.
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• Sources in north of Mali told Echorouk the military reinforcement in south of Algeria can not be an indicator of  a possible big military operation against Al-Qaeda.