Algeria and Tunisia are closing in on terrorists along their shared border.
Tunisian Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou on Tuesday (April 9th) said that joint security operations were under way against "a terrorist group consisting of 11 terrorists based in a mountainous area in El Kef".
"They are besieged by the army and guards from the Tunisian side and by the gendarmes from the Algeria side," he said in a press conference following "5+5 Dialogue" session in Algiers.
This was the first time an official revealed that there were joint operations as well as security and intelligence co-ordination between the two countries.
"Countering terrorist threats requires high-level security co-ordination and sharing of information on the movements of terrorist groups along the border strip," former military officer Taher Ben Thamer told Magharebia.
"Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has openly said that it wants to set up rear bases in Tunisia and Libya that may be used to secure weapons and train new fighters," he noted.
He added that it was "in Algeria's interests to put its two-decade long counterterrorism experience at the disposal of authorities in neighbouring countries".
Ben Thamer noted that the "on-going security operation along the border" was the start of implementation of theGhadames agreement.
During the January meeting, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia agreed to adopt a raft of new border patrol measures to counter arms struggling and repel terrorists.
"All agencies concerned in the three countries need to co-ordinate in order to preserve their security and stability," he added.
Tunisian ambassador to Algeria Mohamed Nejib Hachana confirmed in a press conference last week that security co-operation between the two states to secure the border was functioning at the highest level.
He described the co-operation between the two countries as "a strong ring of our bilateral relations".
He added that relations between the two countries were witnessing unprecedented harmony, especially in security co-ordination.
For months now, Tunisia has been dealing with a severe security situation and has dismantled several terrorist networks, arrested armed gangs and seized military equipment and ammunition in several areas across the country.
Since last March, Tunisian security forces have launched search operations with Algeria in border areas suspected of harbouring militants.
The Tunisian government also formed crisis cells to track down terrorists on the border with Algeria and Libya and terrorists based in mountainous areas. The operation targets elements from the radical salafist movement and gangs that recruit Tunisian youth and send them for jihad in Syria.
Parallel with the security co-operation, officials in the two countries are discussing previous counterterrorism experiences.
Algerian presidential security advisor Kamel Rezzag-Bara last week presented his country's counterterrorism experience to Tunisian security experts at a meeting organised by the Tunisian National Defence Institute.
"Security co-ordination between Algeria and Tunisia needs more procedures and decisions to counter security threats, as well as practical measures to enhance checkpoints, run joint patrols and create units with rapid intervention capabilities," said Kamal Hadef, a journalist specialising in security affairs.
He added that dealing with terrorist groups "according to the traditional military pattern was futile".
Effective counter terrorism operations "requires rapid intervention to target them, and therefore, a unified security centre needs to be created to lead military operations on the border", he said.
© Magharebia.com 2013
