„Algeria militarizes its land border…“
On May 22, the daily El-Khabar reported: „President Bouteflika has transferred responsibility for Algeria’s land border with six neighbouring countries from the Interior Ministry to the National Defence Ministry after the closure of land border crossings with Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Libya. In accordance with the new orders, Algeria is moving towards the militarization of the 6,385-km land border. Thus, with the exception of border crossings with Tunisia, Algeria’s land border has been transferred from civilian to military control. Vast areas of the land border between Algeria and six neighbouring countries; the Kingdom of Morocco, the Sahrawi Republic, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Libya; have become military zones and entry would be banned without permission from the military authorities. The presidential decree which stipulated the closure of land border crossings between Algeria and Libya entrenched a new security principle by the Algerian authorities which changes matters that concern Algeria’s land border to military security affairs that do not concern civilians, and that has come about after the border with brotherly Tunisia became the only land border open to Algerians.
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