Algerian Army’s Operations Outside The Border Does Not Mean That It Will Become “The Region’s Gendarme”!

The Supreme Command of the Algerian National People’s Army confirmed that the participation of its army outside the borders does not at all mean entering into military blocs against specific countries, or using it by the great powers to crush the weak peoples or turn it into the “gendarme of the region”, but rather is a constant willingness to defend the national sovereignty and the interests of Algeria in light of the current regional conditions and emergency developments.

The Army Command considers that Articles 31 and 95 of the draft constitution regarding the dispatch of the units of the National People’s Army outside the borders have sparked controversy confirming the interest and appreciation that the Algerian people hold for their Armed Forces.

“Article 31 in the third clause states that; Algeria, within the framework of the United Nations, the African Union and the League of Arab States, in light of the general compliance with its principles and objectives, can participate in operations to restore and preserve peace. As for Article 95, and in the third clause always, the President of the Republic, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Minister of National Defense, can decide to send army units abroad after approval of parliament with a two-thirds majority of its members”, the ANP Command added.

“On this basis, a detailed article published in the latest edition of the Army Magazine indicates that the person examining the two articles, even if he/she is not one of the specialists, understands without ambiguity that the participation of the Algerian army takes place within the framework of international and regional organizations, in addition to the requirement for the approval of the Algerian parliament by a two-thirds majority. Besides, the military doctrine through the constitutions of the republic has not changed and no article or clause was preventing the participation of the army in peace-keeping and peace-making operations in the world. Algeria has spared no effort to respond to the calls of the international community represented by the United Nations and various regional organizations”.

In the context, the ANP forces confirm that our country has been invited on many occasions to contribute to peace-keeping missions and operations in different regions of the world, whether under the banner of the United Nations or the African Union, which is a recognition of the professionalism of the Algerian army and the respect that Algeria has on the international level.

The supreme command of the army gave vivid examples of the peace operations that the Algerian army fought in several countries, such as “Angola, Cambodia, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Burundi, and the first participation of forces of the National People’s Army outside its borders in the Arab wars against Israel in 1967 and 1973.

“On this basis, the participation of the national army outside the borders aims to contribute to peace and security and the defence of oppressed peoples, and that the current regional conditions, emergency developments and international changes, push Algeria to the constitutionality of operations to send units of its army outside the borders to contribute effectively to the maintenance of security and peacekeeping”.

“This step falls within the framework of adopting a proactive stance, which enables the containment of potential threats and confronting new security challenges in our regional environment characterized by insecurity through terrorist organizations and all forms of organized crime, and the accelerating events and transformations taking place in our region south and east, pushing our country to Adapt its principles to play the role that fits its size as a pivotal state”.

And to that, the high command of the army warned of some parties that used to fish in troubled waters and mislead the people with lies and slander, and said, “These people did not wait long and began to do their best, perhaps discovering loopholes that save their faces and give them credibility, as they are guided these times to justifications like lifting the ban on the participation of units of the Algerian army in military missions outside its borders as it is the first of its kind, and that Article 31 does not reflect the aspirations of the Algerian people, and the great powers will use the Algerian army as a shield to confront terrorism and conquer weak peoples or what is known as the theory of leadership from behind”.

“The simple citizen understands that the fragility of these weak, illogical and objective justifications are attempts by the enemies of Algeria to sow the seeds of suspicion and discord among the Algerians, and these are attempts to find the same fate as previous attempts. History retains many of the fallouts that were committed by the enemies of Algeria and they faced shameful ends, after having been addressed and exposed by loyal citizens”.