ALGIERS, Algeria — Heads have been rolling in the Algerian army, the North African nation’s most respected institution, and in other security services, with generals in top posts fired — without explanation — at a rate never before seen. Yet the noisy Algerian press, which habitually decodes the often inscrutable world of politics, has been unable to decipher the reason for the massive clearout. Or are the changes connected to next April’s presidential elections, which is the subject of another mystery — who is running? The wave of changes began with the firing June 26 of Gen. Abdelghani Hamel, head of the General Directorate of National Security, the top echelon of Algeria’s police. The sword then fell on the top brass of the army, the backbone of the Algerian state.

Source: National Post September 12, 2018 09:00 UTC