Algeria's air force chief sacked amid sweeping military shake-up
Algeria's air force chief sacked amid sweeping military shake-up
The recent spate of sackings comes just eight months ahead of the North African country's presidential election.
2 min read
Algeria's president Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a meeting in 2016 [Getty]
Algeria sacked its air force chief, its defence ministry announced on Tuesday, amid a broad shake-up of the North African country's military hierarchy.
Major-general Hamid Boumaiza will assume the role of air force chief, replacing major-general Abdelkader Lounes.
The defence ministry statement comes a day after Ennahar TV reported the sacking of the commander of the ground forces, the powerful general Ahcene Tager.
Further unconfirmed dismissals came at the start of September, when according to Ennahar the air force chief of staff and the head of the air defence force were fired.
The recent shake-up comes weeks after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika initiated an overhaul of Algeria's military.
The commander of the national gendarmerie was sacked at the start of July, along with the heads of three out of six military districts.
That followed the president's firing in late June of Abdelghani Hamel, the powerful director general of Algeria's police force.
There have also been unconfirmed media reports of the replacement of the head of the central management of army security and the army's inspector general.
At the start of September, army monthly El Djeich said the military overhaul was a normal change at the top and the new chiefs had been chosen for "their competence" and "merit".
The series of sackings of high-level army figures - considered king-makers in Algeria - come just eight months ahead of the country's presidential election.
Experts say the ailing 81-year-old Bouteflika - who has been in power for 19 years, is confined to a wheelchair and has not given a public speech in years - will seek a fifth term in office.
Rights groups have criticised the move and in May penned an open letter in RFI Afrique asking him not to seek a new term.
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