Algerian security services have arrested Saïd Bouteflika, brother and advisor to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, along with two generals, Mohamed Mediene, also known as Toufik, and Bachir Tartag. The arrests were made as part of an investigation into their activities, according to several sources. The generals were questioned by the Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure (DGSI) as part of the probe.
The investigation is reportedly focused on a meeting that allegedly took place in late February, which aimed to remove the Chief of Staff and install a transition committee led by Liamine Zeroual. The meeting was said to have been attended by the two generals. According to sources, the DGSI is seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding the meeting.
Saïd Bouteflika's arrest was also confirmed by several sources, who stated that it was part of the same investigation. The brother of the former president has been a target of criticism from the Chief of Staff of the Algerian People's National Army (ANP) and Deputy Minister of National Defense, Ahmed Gaïd Salah.
In recent speeches, Gaïd Salah has repeatedly denounced the generals and Saïd Bouteflika, accusing them of plotting against the army and the popular movement. On April 16, Gaïd Salah delivered a scathing speech in Ouargla, where he publicly accused General Mediene of conspiring against the army and the people.
Gaïd Salah also issued a warning to Mediene, stating that if he continued his alleged activities, firm legal measures would be taken against him. The general had previously accused Mediene and others of holding secret meetings to undermine the ANP's efforts to resolve the crisis.
General Tartag, who was considered close to the presidential clan, particularly Saïd Bouteflika, had resigned from his position as head of the Direction des services de sécurité (DSS) on April 2, the same day Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned.
The arrests and investigations are part of a broader crackdown on figures associated with the former regime. The developments come as Algeria continues to experience a popular uprising, which began on February 22, with protesters demanding an end to the Bouteflika regime and the prosecution of its key figures.
Key points
- The arrests of Saïd Bouteflika and the two generals are part of an investigation into their alleged involvement in a plot to undermine the Algerian army's efforts to resolve the country's crisis.
- The Algerian army's chief of staff, Ahmed Gaïd Salah, has been a vocal critic of the arrested individuals, accusing them of plotting against the army and the popular movement.
- The developments are part of a broader effort to hold accountable those associated with the former Bouteflika regime, which has been the target of a popular uprising since February 22.
