Tunisia terror attack raises security fears in Algeria

Algeria is worried about its internal security following the terrorist attack that shook the neighboring Tunisia on Wednesday, killing over 20 people, mainly the Western tourists.

Even no special security deployment is visible around key institutions and buildings in the capital Algiers after Tunis shooting, a security source said to Xinhua Fridan that Algerian authorities fear that a potential large-scale terrorist act would be committed.

The source specified that such fear is primarily motivated by collected intelligence reports since the beginning of the year and which conclude that potential terrorist attacks are being plotted against three Mediterranean countries, namely Algeria, Tunisia and France.

According to the source, the attacks might be committed by several jihadist groups activating in the region, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), IS-linked group of Jund al-Khilafah (Soldiers of the Caliphate).

Amid this context of raising trans-border terrorist threat, Algerian and Tunisian authorities have been coordinating their security and military efforts to counter terrorism on their shared borders, through exchanging intelligence and conducting joint military actions.

In July 2014, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal met with former Tunisian counterpart Mehdi Jomaa in the border province of Tebessa, 600 km southeast of Algiers.

The meeting discussed security cooperation between the two North African nations, and recommended to strengthen military and security cooperation.

Giving a regional dimension to the terrorist threat, current Tunisian Foreign Minister Tayeb Baccouche said during his visit to Algiers a couple of weeks ago that "amid the rise of terrorism and the lack of a state in Libya, we are obliged to assume our responsibility towards our two peoples."

Algeria shares this position, as it has been mobilizing its diplomatic machine to bring Libyan warrant parties to dialogue.

Libyan antagonists, with the exception of those UN-ranked terrorist groups, met last week in Algiers, in an attempt to settle peacefully the four-year-long crisis hitting the country. Endit