Country Report on Terrorism 2023 - Chapter 1 - Algeria

Overview:  The United States and Algeria strengthened their counterterrorism (CT) partnership in 2023 through regular dialogue and exchanges of technical expertise.  Algeria maintained its robust efforts to prevent terrorist activity within its borders through a consistent tempo of CT operations to arrest and eliminate terrorist suspects, to dismantle and disrupt terrorist cells, and to destroy hideouts, arms, and other equipment.  Several terrorists surrendered to Algerian authorities over the year, especially in the southern provinces.  These operations further diminished terrorist organizations’ already-limited capacities to operate within Algeria.  Al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb and allied groups and ISIS’s Algeria branch, including the local group Jund al-Khilafah in Algeria, remained in the country – though in ever-smaller numbers, as they have been unable to attract new recruits or significant new resources.  These groups did not conduct any offensive attacks in 2023.

Increased terrorist activity in Mali and Niger contributed to the regional threat, particularly from a resumption of fighting in northern Mali and an influx of migration across Algeria’s southern border, as did linkages between terrorist organizations and transnational organized criminal networks.  A reported terrorist presence on the borders with Tunisia and Libya also persisted in 2023, and Algeria’s security apparatus focused on preventing these elements from threatening Algeria.

In 2023, Algeria also maintained domestic terrorism designations on the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie and the Islamist movement Rachad.  The United States considers Algeria’s concentration on these groups to be more political than security related, and neither appears to have committed what the United States defines as terrorist acts.

2023 Terrorist Incidents:  There were no reported terrorist incidents in Algeria in 2023.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security:  The Algerian judicial system tried and convicted several terrorists and affiliates, and the government maintained its strict “no concessions” policy regarding individuals or groups holding its citizens hostage.  Algerian military forces and multiple law enforcement, intelligence, and security services addressed counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, border security, and crisis response.  These included the various branches of the Joint Staff, the Algerian Army, the National Gendarmerie, and border guards under the Ministry of National Defense (MND); the Directorate General of Internal Security; and the national police (the General Directorate of National Security) under the Ministry of Interior.  The MND’s public announcements provided timely reporting on incidents during which its forces captured or eliminated terrorists, dismantled terrorist cells, and seized equipment and arms.  International and local observers, including the UN, alleged that authorities used antiterrorism laws and restrictive laws on freedom of expression and public assembly to detain political activists and critics of the government.

The United States and Algeria held a bilateral security dialogue as well as a Joint Military Dialogue, which provided an opportunity to exchange views on regional terrorist threats and discuss new avenues for bilateral cooperation.  In 2023, Algeria repatriated its final national from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

According to the Algerian Army’s yearly report, it captured 16 terrorists in operations; arrested 417 terrorist affiliates; and destroyed more than 37 terrorist caches, including approximately 95 bombs and 917 other weapons, during CT operations.

Algerian security and law enforcement agencies participated in training and exchanges offered by the U.S. government and other countries.  Algerian participants attended numerous conferences and workshops held by multilateral organizations.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism:  Algeria is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (or MENAFATF), and its Financial Intelligence Unit, the Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTRF), is a member of the Egmont Group.

In 2023, Algeria’s upper legislative chamber passed legislation to update Algeria’s anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism laws.  The amendments outlined new penalties for money laundering and terrorist financing and added provisions to counter proliferation of WMD.  The amendments also established a new institution controlled by the executive branch to regulate all funding received by civil society organizations.  Additional decrees established a new committee to coordinate the government’s AML policies.

In May, Algeria completed its mutual evaluation that identified, inter alia, deficiencies in implementing targeted financial sanctions, including UN sanctions, without delay.  The report noted that many decisions issued by the Minister of Finance and the UNSCR 1267 sanctions list had not been published on the CTRF website.  In November, Algeria issued a decree to establish the Targeted International Sanctions Committee and assigned it responsibility for monitoring and implementing UN sanctions.

Countering Violent Extremism:  Algeria in 2023 maintained a robust, multidimensional approach to countering violent extremism, involving government, family, and religious leaders to message prevention and to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalized individuals – to include eight repentant terrorists.

International and Regional Cooperation:  Algeria continued to support counterterrorism and security efforts through participation in international, multilateral, and regional organizations.  It engages actively with UN affiliates such as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism, as well as with other organizations such as INTERPOL.  Algeria expressed interest in the Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system and held several preparatory meetings on its implementation.  Algeria played a leading role with a UNODC-sponsored initiative to address the nexus between terrorism and organized crime in North Africa and the Sahel.  The country also remained active in the GCTF and maintained its position as co-chair of the GCTF’s West Africa Region Working Group.  Algeria hosts the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (or Afripol) police union and plays a leading role in CT matters in the African Union, including by hosting its Center for Study and Research on Terrorism.  Algeria also continued to host the Fusion and Liaison Unit of the Sahel countries and engaged in CT-related programming organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and with NATO as a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue.

Algeria continued to serve as chair of the implementation committee for the peace accord in Mali, although progress was limited amidst a spike in tensions in Mali.  Algeria maintained leadership of the Joint Military Staff Committee (CEMOC) to coordinate CT cooperation among Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.  In November, Army Chief General Saïd Chanegriha oversaw an extraordinary meeting of the CEMOC to outline approaches to enhance regional cooperation in countering growing terrorist threats emanating from the Sahel.  Regional tensions between Morocco and Algeria remained an impediment to bilateral and regional CT cooperation.