International Journal on Criminology
AQIM and Hirak Armed Groups in Algeria : The Collapse of Armed Groups
Since 2006 , the jihadist movement in Algeria has been dominated by AQIM , under the leadership of its leader Abdelmalek Droukdel , alias Abou Moussab Abdelwadoud . This organization managed to extend its presence as far as the Sahel and Tunisia . However , and this would be its specificity , while its subsidiaries elsewhere have been strengthened over the years , notably by the emergence of one of its most powerful affiliated groups in the world , the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims ( GSIM ) operating in the Sahel , AQIM in Algeria is virtually eradicated . Thus , as Salima Tlemçani reports : “ the armed groups have been disbanded ... and the number of terrorists has collapsed in parallel . “ In fact , during the years 1998- 2013 , a period dominated by politics , put in place by President Bouteflika , known as “ national reconciliation ,” which gave terrorists the possibility of surrendering to the authorities , more than seven thousand of them renounced their armed jihad and placed themselves under the control of the security services , while several hundred others were killed in combat . This dual strategy , which was followed for nearly fifteen years , considerably weakened the terrorist groups that were still active and made it possible to restore security throughout the territory with the exception of a few regions , in Kabylia and in the west of the country . 12
However , starting in 2014 , after the brutal appearance of groups linked to the EI , notably that of Jund al-Khilafa fi Ard al-Jazair ( the Soldiers of the Caliph in Algeria ), the Algerian security services decided to launch major operations throughout the country in order to counter its establishment and at the same time to get rid of AQIM . In this regard , an official close to security issues confirmed that from now on it was necessary “ at all costs ” to eliminate these two organizations . Also , from 2014 to 2018 , several hundred terrorists were killed , while dozens of others were captured or surrendered to the authorities . As Akram Kherief explains , the result of this enormous pressure exerted on them during this period led the armed groups , or at least what was left of them , to evacuate Kabylia and withdraw eastwards to Tébessa and Skikda , or toward the Tunisian border , while some remained confined to Boumerdès and Bouira . In this regard , according to a former member of the Algerian Special Forces , these terrorist groups were now only “ small groups with small arms and constantly on the move . They have lost the societal environment that was once their strength . The means of listening and interception deployed throughout the country make the use of cell phones almost impossible . Attacks are becoming increasingly rare . As soon as terrorists go into action , they are very quickly detected and eliminated .” 13
12 Lounnas , 2017 , “ The impact of ISIS on Algeria ’ s security doctrine ,” Middle East Policy , Vol . 24 , No . 4 ( 2017 ), p . 120 .
13 F . Alilat , 2016 , “ Algérie : la traque des jihadistes touche-t-elle vraiment à sa fin ?,” Jeune Afrique 40