Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - Algeria

Country Overview:  Algeria’s counterterrorism operations successfully diminished terrorist organizations’ limited capacity to operate within its borders.  The government achieved this by arresting suspects, dismantling cells, and destroying hideouts and arms.  As a result, groups like Al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and ISIS’s Algeria branch, Jund al-Khilafah, failed to identify new recruits or resources.  Algerian security forces focused on preventing terrorism along their borders, particularly with Tunisia and Libya.  Illegal migration and increased terrorist activity in Mali and Niger enabled linkages between terrorist organizations and organized criminal networks.

However, Algeria maintained terrorism designations on two groups, the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie and the Islamist movement Rachad, which the United States assessed to be more political than security-related since neither group appeared to engage in acts the United States defines as terrorism.  Law 24-06, passed in April, amended Algeria’s penal code to establish harsher penalties for terrorism-related crimes, including the exploitation of children for terrorist acts.  However, the UN, along with local and international observers, believes that certain aspects of the law are aimed more at suppressing political dissent than at combating terrorism.  Proposed amendments to the Associations Law 12-06 related to foreign funding may also affect donor countries’ ability to support civil society groups within the country.

Law 24-03, passed in February, amended the civil aviation law, requiring air carriers and travel operators to transmit passenger data to the National Passenger Information Unit and imposing fines for noncompliance.  The National Passenger Information Unit uses the United Nations’ “Go Travel” software to collect and share traveler data.  In October, Algeria was placed on the FATF gray list and has since made a high-level political commitment to work with FATF and MENAFATF to strengthen the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime.  Changes to the penal code included a significant amendment requiring Algerian authorities to update the national list of terrorist individuals and entities to include those implicated in money laundering in support of terrorist acts.

Algeria actively supported international and regional counterterrorism efforts, focusing heavily on the link between terrorism and organized crime.  The country supported the UNODC initiative addressing the terrorism-organized crime nexus in North Africa and the Sahel, inviting the UNODC’s Terrorism Prevention Branch to help develop its strategy.  Algeria remained active in the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and continued serving as co-chair of the GCTF’s West Africa Region Working Group.  As the host of African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation, Algeria played a leading role in CT-related matters within the AU.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  In 2024, Algeria killed 51 terrorists, arrested 457 terrorists and affiliates, destroyed over 10 terrorist caches, and recovered 48 bombs and 97 firearms in counterterrorism operations.

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