Terrorist Attack Against Police in Algeria

Saturday, a vehicle packed with explosives exploded in the headquarters of the national police in Tamanrasset, an oasis town in the south of Algeria. The local hospital reported 5 death, and that at least 26 victims were treated. The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA), a splinter group from Al-Qaeda, claimed to have carried out the suicide attack. ”We inform you that we are behind the explosion that occurred this morning at Tamanrasset,” the group told the AFP. Algerian Prime minster Ahmed Ouyahia stated (Fr) that the government was determined “to fight against terrorism until its eradication.”

The fall of Gaddafi’s regime in  Libya  has allowed for the transfer of weapons, looted from Gaddafi’s caches, to fall into the hands of insurgents in neighboring countries. This has enabled Al-Qaeda to increase to the operations in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), analysts say, and also helped fuel a separatist rebellion by Tuareg tribesman in Mali, to the south. Tamanrasset houses a military base supporting the fight against the terrorist organisation.

The National supervision commission for the legislative elections, held in May, announced (Fr) that in the beginning of March, 69 local sub-commissions will be established  in constituencies to supervise the elections. It is part of the processes that the that state implements to guarantee transparent and regular elections. Former Prime Minster of Algeria (1990-1992), Sid Ahmed Ghozali,  called (Fr) Algerians to boycott the elections. Ghozali said “To vote would be a waste of time because the results are already known,” suggesting that the current rulling party, the Democratic Front, would remain in power due to expected electoral fraud.  The Culture and Democratic party also announced that it plans to boycott what they see as “rigged” elections.