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Algeria Cuts Jail Term of Ali Haddad

File photo of Algerian business tycoon Ali Haddad
File photo of Algerian business tycoon Ali Haddad
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Algeria Cuts Jail Term of Ali Haddad

File photo of Algerian business tycoon Ali Haddad
File photo of Algerian business tycoon Ali Haddad

Algerian business tycoon Ali Haddad, an ally of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, had his jail term on corruption charges cut from 18 to 12 years on Tuesday, national news agency APS said.

The prosecution, in an appeal hearing, had asked for his sentence, as well those of former premiers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, to be lengthened, but instead all three were reduced.

The former premiers' terms were trimmed from 12 to eight years, APS said.

Amara Benyounes, a former minister of both industry and commerce who was also tried in the case, had his sentence reduced to one year in prison, down from three years.

He was released Tuesday evening on time served, having been detained since mid-June last year, according to his brother.

Haddad's brothers Omar, Meziane, Sofiane and Mohamed, serving four-year sentences, were all acquitted.

Founder of construction firm ETRHB and former head of Algeria's main employers' organization, Haddad was convicted on July 1 of illegally obtaining "privileges, advantages and public contracts", as well as conflict of interest and squandering public funds.

Seen as one of the main funders of Bouteflika's election campaigns, Haddad had already been sentenced on appeal at the end of March to four years in prison after another corruption trial.

Bouteflika was forced to resign in April last year after losing the backing of the army following mass street protests against his rule.

Since his fall, authorities have launched a string of graft investigations, which have also seen his powerful brother Said and two former intelligence chiefs jailed.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.