Algiers, November 13, 2013 (SPS) - The closure of the country’s southern border is a “sovereign decision” of Algeria, Minister of Communication Abdelkader Messahel said Sunday in Algiers.
“Algeria’s southern border is closed since the beginning of troubles in Northern Mali and they will remain closed for national security reasons. It’s Algeria’s sovereign decision,” said Messahel at a press conference jointly held with Foreign Affairs Minister Ramtane Lamamra.
“However, because of family relationships between the Algerian and Malian populations in the far south, it was decided to open the border once every 15 days under the control of the Army,” said Messahel.
He also stressed the need to “control” this opening, underlining that all the attacks of the terrorist group MUJAO (Movement for Uniqueness and Djihad in Western Africa) came from that region.”
“In this regard, Messahel said that the mission of the People’s National Army (ANP) is to ensure the internal security and the borders. (SPS)
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