Messahel: “We Took All Precautions To Face The Return Of 6000 ISIS Terrorists”

Algeria took full precautions to face the scenario of the return of 6,000 terrorists from the Middle East to Africa, Foreign Minister, Abdelkader Messahel, said.

“Algeria refuses to be involved in military conflicts in the region, and filled a request for membership in the UN Security Council”.

The official of Algeria diplomacy talked about the possibility of the return of 6,000 ISIS terrorists to Africa, in an interview with the national radio, on Monday, saying: “Algeria, like other countries in the region, took this threat seriously and warned of it on several occasions”. 

“Algeria is a founding member of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum in New York, which includes more than 60 countries. It chairs, with Canada, the Forum’s Committee in the Sahara Sahel, and hosted two meetings of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, and discussed the return of ISIS terrorists to Africa”.

“Algeria is at a great level of vigilance to maintain its sovereignty and security stability, especially on the border with countries that are experiencing security unrest. Algeria will continue its efforts to support and stabilize the neighboring countries, such as Libya and Mali, and support the political process in Libya through strong constitutional institutions to eliminate all forms of the environment that is incubating terrorism or the return of ISIS terrorist or organized crime”.

“Algeria rejects any attempts to incite it to combat terrorism militarily in the conflicts of the region. Algeria is training a number of elite elements in Mali, Niger and a number of countries in the region to combat terrorism, logistic support and humanitarian assistance to these countries, which costs Algeria  over $ 100 million over the last ten years, which are also efforts to secure Algeria first and solidarity with neighboring countries”.

“Morocco participated in the 5 + 5 meeting, which was hosted by Algeria on Sunday, with a high-level delegation that is headed by the Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, although this indicates “the breakthrough in relationships between the two countries”.

“Morocco’s participation was not within the framework of bilateral cooperation between Algeria and Morocco, but within the context of the 5 + 5 dialogue”, which is the same position that was expressed by the Moroccan FM, in statements to the national press, saying that he did not discuss bilateral relationships between the two countries.

Messahel asserted that the fourth meeting of the 5 + 5 countries was an opportunity for dialogue and included in-depth discussions on the concerns of each country in the region and the development of common positions on the crises and the challenges that are facing the region, in addition to addressing the development in the region with other partners of the Western Mediterranean, investment, combating unemployment, creating jobs for youth, and the common environmental concerns of Mediterranean countries.