Large military operation of Algerian army on its Libyan border area involving 5,000 soldiers 0806143

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Defence & Security News - Libya / Algeria
 
 
Sunday, June 8, 2014 06:13 PM
 
Large military operation of Algerian army on its Libyan border area involving 5,000 soldiers.
A military operation led by Libya’s renegade ex-General Khalifa Haftar in the eastern city of Benghazi has achieved 55 percent of its targets in eradicating Islamist militants, a spokesman said on Friday, June 6, 2014. On Friday, the Algeria-based al-Watan newspaper citing a military source reported that the Algerian army is waging one of its “biggest operations since independence” on its Libyan border area, with thousands of troops dispatched.
     
A military operation led by Libya’s renegade ex-General Khalifa Haftar in the eastern city of Benghazi has achieved 55 percent of its targets in eradicating Islamist militants, a spokesman said on Friday, June 6, 2014. On Friday, the Algeria-based al-Watan newspaper citing a military source reported that the Algerian army is waging one of its “biggest operations since independence” on its Libyan border area, with thousands of troops dispatched.
Algerians paratroopers In Amenas gas plant (Archive image)
     

According the website of the newspaper El Watan, and Algerian military source, 3,500 paratroopers with 1,500 soldiers of logistic troops are deployed in the Libyan territory. According a diplomatic source, in addition to the 5,000 soldiers on the ground, fighter, combat aircraft, helicopters and drone perform military missions in Libyan airspace.

It would be the same Airborne Regiment who supported the Algerian military operations "Scorpion Rapide", stormed and successfully released in January 2013, the gas complex of Tiguentourine at In Amenas.

According to a Algerian army senior officer, the preparation of the mission and the regrouping of forces was made the last week of May. To increase the mobility and speed, the troops sent to the combat area were equipped with small arms and 4x4 light tactical vehicles backed by armoured personnel carrier BTR-80.

The most important fire power was provided by Mi-24 combat helicopter during the military operations.

In May 2014, foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said that the Algerian community in Libya was not "the focus of a targeted attack", but called on Algerian nationals to use caution, common sense and vigilance against the backdrop of insecurity in the neighboring country.