Algeria reshuffles leadership of intelligence services

Algeria is overhauling its intelligence services in response to mounting failures and diplomatic setbacks, particularly with France and the Sahel, according to Spanish news site Atalayar. The abrupt dismissal of internal security chief General Abdelkader Haddad—after just one year in office—follows operational lapses and controversial decisions, including the politically damaging arrest of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal.

General Abdelkader Ait Ourabi, known as Hassan, a veteran of Algeria’s civil war and respected counterterrorism expert, has returned to lead internal security. His appointment marks a broader pivot toward restoring effectiveness and asserting greater control over Algeria’s fractured security landscape.

Additional senior reshuffles, including the replacement of Defence Ministry figures and the appointment of academic Zouhais Bouamama as intelligence advisor, reflect an urgent push to recalibrate strategy. Analysts suggest the move signals a return to the Bouteflika-era security establishment amid regional instability and a weakening intelligence footprint.