The security services, especially the army, are putting more personnel on the Libyan border, given the increased activity there are more Islamic terrorists try to get themselves or shipments of weapons into Algeria. So far this year the security forces have kept the Islamic terrorists on the run and unable to launch any major attacks in Algeria. The major threat is the large number of Islamic terrorists in neighboring Libya and their attempts to get into Algeria. So far Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria have all refused to even send their warplanes against any targets in Libya and instead reinforce their border security and internal counter-terrorist operations. This has worked for these nations so far and they don’t want to get involved in a neighbor’s civil war. The neighbors do not oppose other nations (especially Western) from bombing Islamic terrorists in Libya. These Arab nations will assist in preventing ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) from smuggling any captured oil out of Libya. ISIL has made it clear that it will continue trying to capture Libyan oil fields and export ports intact and use them. ISIL is also apparently trying to make money by smuggling weapons into Algeria. Most of those attempts have been thwarted, so far.
Algeria is also having money problems. In January the value of oil exports fell 24 percent to $1.8 billion. However the trade deficit ($1.8 billion a month) remained the same as it was in January 2105. At the end of 2015 foreign exchange reserves (needed to pay for imports, especially food) fell 22 percent to $143 billion. The government has been controlling the use of these reserves, which stood at about $200 billion before the oil prices began plunging in 2013. The foreign exchange reserves can be drawn on for another six to eight years. After that severe cuts will have to be made and there will be much unrest. Algeria. Like most other oil exporters is pressuring Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf oil states to ease up on their use of oil over production to drive the price of oil down and weaken Iran. .
March 13, 2016: West of the capital (Gouraya Province) troops cornered and killed Mouloud Baal, a veteran Islamic terrorist leader. Baal started out in the GIA during the 1990s then joined al Qaeda after 2003. In 2015 he switched to ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant).
March 12, 2016: About a hundred kilometers east of the capital (Tizi Ouzou) soldiers killed one Islamic terrorists and captured another. Weapons and equipment were seized.
March 11, 2016: In the east (Oued Province) near the Tunisian border troops killed three Islamic terrorists who were apparently coming from Libya. The men were transporting weapons including twenty assault rifles, three RPG launchers, two suicide bomb vests and six shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles of the type known to have been taken from Libyan military warehouses during the 2011 rebellion.
March 10, 2016: In the east (Oued Province) near the Tunisian border troops found a machine-gun, a shot gun and 17 TPG propellant charges in two different caches.
March 7, 2016: Next door in in Tunisia, a large force of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) men attacked the town of Ben Guerdane near the Libyan border. The attack was repulsed with at least 36 Islamic terrorists killed, along with a soldier, ten policemen and an armed customs official. Seven civilians also died during several hours of fighting. Over the next few days Tunisian troops hunted down and killed ten more ISIL men in the area but most of the surviving attackers appear to have fled back into Libya. Tunisia has so far kept ISIL from establishing itself in Tunisia but the Islamic terrorist group keeps trying. This is in large part because most Tunisians want nothing to do with Islamic terrorist groups. This came as a big surprise the ISIL men involved in the Ben Guerdane operation because ISIL leaders said the local civilians would welcome ISIL, not side with the security forces.
March 1, 2016: East of the capital troops had success against Islamic terrorists in three different areas during the last 48 hours. Near Bouria troops tracked down and killed two Islamic terrorists. Ammunition, three assault rifles, four bombs, three crude shelters, documents and some equipment were also seized. In Skikda troops found a bomb and two locally made guns. In Tizi Ouzou troops found an Islamic terrorists hideout that contained some explosives.
February 24, 2016: In Medea (90 kilometers south of the capital) troops found and destroyed nine bunkers built by Islamic terrorists to store and hide equipment. Also found were bomb components and a power generator.
February 22, 2016: West of the capital (Tipaza province) troops searching a remote area found and destroyed fifteen bunkers built by Islamic terrorists.
February 20, 2016: In the southeast (Illizi Province) troops killed two Islamic terrorists and captured two others. Weapons, ammo, cash and bomb making components were seized.
February 17, 2016: In Boumerdes (50 kilometers east of the capital) soldiers clashed with two Islamic terrorists, killed them and seized two assault rifles, documents and some equipment. Nearby troops found a Islamic terrorist bunker containing ammo, equipment and more documents.
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