Algerian women and children exploited by weapons smuggling

A security report by the National Gendarmerie, available at Echorouk, revealed that the weapons smuggled to Algeria via airports and ports , are mainly directed to terrorist groups in Niger towards Mauritania through Adrar locality, south of Algeria, then El Mnia in Ghardaia, Al Aghouat, Djelfa and Msila, west of Algeria.

• The starting point of selling these weapons is the central provinces, where the main terrorists’ strongholds, particularly in Boumerdes and Tizi Ouzou, considered the most dangerous regions, where terrorists coordinate with weapons’ smuggling networks in Niger, Mali and Mauritania. It is also the “Masked” battalion’s region of activity, under the leadership of Mokhtar Belmokhtar nicknamed Khaled Abou Alabbas also called “Al Aouar”, former leader of the ninth region, who supported his group with arms because of his relations with smugglers from Niger and Mali.
• The report also pointed to the emergence of networks which supported the national market with weapons and work in connection with gangs that bought them from European countries and smuggle them to Algeria across the borders “with the complicity of neighbouring countries aiming at disturbing Algeria’s stability”.
• The number of firearms which were seized last year reached 351, including hunting and traditional rifles, as well as 8174 bullets and about 9 tons of gunpowder.
• During the same period 1308 weapons’ smugglers were arrested, including 12 women and 29 minors. What is important is that Algiers is on top of the weapons trade with 101 cases of the total 1090 judicial cases.
• In 2007, 863 cases resulted in the arrest of 1110 people compared to 352 cases in 2006, in which 593 people were arrested.
• The report showed intensification of activities by the national gendarmerie in combating the smuggling and trade of weapons lead to a significant rise in the number of cases and arrested.

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• The report discovered that weapons are mostly smuggled to the central areas, which reaffirms the coordination between the smugglers of weapons and the terrorist groups. Arms are also smuggled through Turkey towards Libya then Oued Souf, Biskra, south of Algeria, then Barika in Barna, east of Algeria, to reach Msila, west of Algeria, where the smugglers distributed weapons on eastern and central provinces.
• Previously, gendarmerie dismantled many weapon smuggling networks and seized a quantity of guns type imitated “Beretta” worth 120.000 dinars, belonging to terrorist in the Salfist Group, according to a former investigation by Echorouk.
• 1147 weapons were seized least three years in the fight against illegal trade of weapons and 1787 smugglers, including 23 women and 48 minors, were arrested during 2007 and 2008, after they were recruited in criminal networks to escape from security control.