Algeria Allocates $400 Mln to Protect Oil Facilities against Terrorism

Technicians at Sonatrach. Photo: The company's website
Technicians at Sonatrach. Photo: The company's website
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Algeria Allocates $400 Mln to Protect Oil Facilities against Terrorism

Technicians at Sonatrach. Photo: The company's website
Technicians at Sonatrach. Photo: The company's website

The Algerian government has launched a plan to protect the oil and gas facilities against potential terrorist acts.

The plan consists of hiring 22,000 guards and spending $400 million on the security systems in the infrastructure of oil and gas.

Chief Executive Officer at state-owned Sonatrach Group Toufik Hakkar revealed on Monday some of the plan’s details during a meeting in Algiers attended by officials from the Ministry of National Defense on the 10th anniversary of a terrorist attack that targeted a gas facility. 

In 2013, a militant group staged an attack on the Tiguentourine gas processing facility in southern Algeria, killing dozens of people, including foreigners.

Hakkar affirmed that Sonatrach has endorsed a new strategy to protect, along with the authorities, the vital facilities of energy in the country.

He stressed the ongoing cooperation between the group and the army as well as the security forces to protect the energy facilities, industrial sites, and oil pipelines that span 22,000 kilometers.

Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab highlighted during the meeting the significance of exchanging expertise in terms of industrial safety with partners from various sectors, especially since the operations of sabotage have escalated in the past years.

Arkab lauded the “effective and decisive role” played by the army to protect public and private facilities and properties.



Tunisia Court Upholds 18-month Sentence for Presidential Candidate Zammel

A poster of imprisoned presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel is displayed at the entrance of his electoral headquarters on September 16, 2024, in Tunis, ahead of presidential election. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
A poster of imprisoned presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel is displayed at the entrance of his electoral headquarters on September 16, 2024, in Tunis, ahead of presidential election. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
TT

Tunisia Court Upholds 18-month Sentence for Presidential Candidate Zammel

A poster of imprisoned presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel is displayed at the entrance of his electoral headquarters on September 16, 2024, in Tunis, ahead of presidential election. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
A poster of imprisoned presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel is displayed at the entrance of his electoral headquarters on September 16, 2024, in Tunis, ahead of presidential election. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)

A Tunisian appeal court on Thursday upheld an 18-month prison sentence handed down to presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel, his lawyer said, two days before the vote is held.

Zammel, who has been in prison for a month, is one of three candidates running for the presidency, along with current President Kais Saied and politician Zouhair Maghzaoui.

Tunisians head to the polls Sunday.

Fourteen hopefuls were barred from joining the race, after election organizers ruled they had failed to provide enough signatures of endorsement, among other technicalities.
Some have been jailed after being convicted of forging signatures.