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Algeria Accuses ‘Foreign Parties’ of Negotiating with Terrorists

The Great Mosque of Algiers was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2020 in the absence of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. AFP
The Great Mosque of Algiers was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2020 in the absence of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. AFP
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Algeria Accuses ‘Foreign Parties’ of Negotiating with Terrorists

The Great Mosque of Algiers was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2020 in the absence of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. AFP
The Great Mosque of Algiers was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2020 in the absence of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. AFP

Algeria’s Defense Ministry has implicitly slammed two European governments on a case involving an alleged ransom to release hostages in Mali, which sparked controversy earlier this month.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry said it arrested Mustapha Derar, an Algerian national, in Tlemcen.

Security forces had tracked him after crossing the border into Algeria. The man had joined a terrorist group in 2012, it added.

In early October, foreign parties held negotiations that resulted in an agreement in which Mali releases more than 200 terrorist elements and pay a ransom for extremist groups in exchange for releasing one Malian national and three European hostages.

Malian authorities have neither confirmed nor denied that militants were released in exchange for Soumaila Cisse, Sophie Petronin, Pierluigi Maccalli and Nicola Chiacchio.

The ministry’s statement on foreign parties involved most likely refers to France and Italy.

This is the first time that Algiers almost directly accuses France of paying ransom to terrorists to secure the release of captives.

“These actions are unacceptable and violate UN resolutions, which criminalize paying ransoms to terrorist groups since it would impede efforts to combat terrorism and dry up terrorists’ sources of financing,” the statement stressed.

Separately, the 21-day political and media campaign to win over 23.5 million Algerians to vote in favor of the constitutional referendum, set for November 1, ended on Wednesday.

The referendum coincides with the inauguration of the Great Mosque of Algiers, the 66th anniversary of the Algerian Revolution and falls on the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad said the new constitution will save the country from corruption, mismanagement and one-man rule, which marked president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s ruling period.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who drafted the new constitution, will most likely miss the vote after he was transferred from hospital in Algiers to Germany following reports of suspected coronavirus cases among his aides.

Tebboune failed to attend the religious ceremony that was held on Tuesday evening to mark the birth of the Prophet Mohammad.

The event was attended by the Premier and some MPs and took place in Algeria's Grand Mosque, known locally as the Djamaa El-Djazair.

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Israel Pressures Lebanon with US Cover

UNIFIL vehicles conduct a military patrol in a border area between Lebanon and Israel (DPA). 
UNIFIL vehicles conduct a military patrol in a border area between Lebanon and Israel (DPA). 
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Israel Pressures Lebanon with US Cover

UNIFIL vehicles conduct a military patrol in a border area between Lebanon and Israel (DPA). 
UNIFIL vehicles conduct a military patrol in a border area between Lebanon and Israel (DPA). 

Lebanese sources question the United States’ absence from Lebanon’s political and diplomatic scene, arguing that this has allowed Israel to escalate its violations of the ceasefire agreement.

They say that this disengagement has freed Israel’s hand to assassinate Hezbollah figures—most recently Hassan Badr—and conduct airstrikes on towns north of the Litani River.

The situation has been further complicated by the US-driven suspension of the international monitoring committee overseeing the ceasefire. This is tied to Lebanon’s reluctance to form three committees requested by US envoy Morgan Ortagus, addressing Lebanese prisoners in Israel, the Israeli withdrawal from occupied points, and border demarcation, including 13 disputed areas.

The political circles in Lebanon now anticipate Ortagus’ visit, during which she will meet key officials, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Israel, emboldened by US support, continues military pressure on Lebanon, raising concerns that it seeks to enforce UN Resolution 1701 through force to push Lebanon into negotiations that could lead to normalization.

There is speculation that Israel aims to trade normalization for a demilitarized zone extending beyond South Lebanon to include areas north of the Litani River, eliminating Hezbollah’s military presence there. However, Aoun has emphasized Lebanon’s defense strategy, which aims to ensure the state’s exclusive control over weapons across the entire country.

Sources suggest Hezbollah must adopt a pragmatic approach and support Lebanon’s diplomatic push rather than relying on military rhetoric. However, in a recent speech, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem reaffirmed the group’s commitment to resistance and warned of open-ended options if diplomacy fails. This stance appears contradictory, as Hezbollah has recently shifted toward diplomatic engagement, especially given Israel’s current advantage in deterrence and rules of engagement.

In contrast, Aoun and Salam have actively pushed for US intervention to enforce Israel’s withdrawal and implement Resolution 1701.

Israel’s occupation of several points has blocked the Lebanese Army’s deployment alongside UNIFIL to the international border. Blaming Lebanon for failing to comply with international resolutions is unfair when Israel continues its violations. The international monitoring committee has even praised the Lebanese Army’s efforts in implementing the ceasefire agreement.

Lebanese sources reject claims that Washington blames Aoun and Salam for not adhering to their commitments. They argue that Israel’s violations are the primary issue, not Lebanon’s policies.

Salam’s position on ending non-state weapons and moving beyond the “army, people, and resistance” formula was welcomed by Washington but rejected by Hezbollah, which continues to use the rhetoric for political mobilization.

Sources stress that Aoun’s refusal to negotiate normalization with Israel aligns with Lebanon’s political consensus. During his visit to Paris, he emphasized that border talks should follow the same diplomatic protocols used in previous maritime negotiations.

Meanwhile, intelligence reports suggest that Hezbollah was not involved in the recent rocket attacks on Israel, reinforcing Speaker Nabih Berri’s statement that these incidents may have been orchestrated by Israel for strategic purposes.

Security agencies are close to uncovering the truth, with Lebanese and Palestinian suspects under investigation.