New security system for Algeria oil bases

Last week’s return of foreign workers to the Tiguentourine gas facility at In Amenas is based on the implementation of new security measures at Algeria’s oil and gas fields and their various installations. The new measures are reported to cover the four regions: the In Salah-Adrar basin, Hassi R'Mel, Hassi Messaoud and the southeast area encompassing Tiafti and In Amenas.

Our understanding of the new measures is that some 80 oil installations have been linked together in a new early warning preventative warning system. This includes intensive monitoring operations over oil and gas fields by military aircraft, as well as an alarm control system operated by Sonatrach that is triggered in the event of the discovery of any infiltration into 50 and 100 km security perimeters surrounding oil fields and bases. The military presence in areas close to industrial centres, oil and gas fields, and bases that have foreign employees has also been strengthened.

In addition, considerable emphasis has been placed on recruitment, not only at the point of recruitment, but throughout the period of employment and after the departure of the employee. This is because the terrorist attackers at In Amenas are believed to have collected information from former employees at the base.

Other safety procedures will include establishing a national security database that will hold the identity and a detailed biography of all Algerian and foreign workers in the oil companies.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

© 2014 Menas Associates

Algeria: Creation of military zones along Tunisian border

 

Algeria is, according to a report in El Khabar, planning to build 20 closed military zones along the Algerian-Tunisian border in an attempt to prevent arms smuggling and terrorist infiltration. The zones will be off-limits for civilians without a permit. Although the report claims that similar moves have been successful in minimising infiltrations and smuggling on the Malian and Libyan borders, evidence on the ground, such as In Amenas, suggests that this success has been exaggerated.

 

New Algerian-Tunisian security agreements include a military co-operation committee that provides instant exchange of information in order to deal efficiently with cross-border smugglers and infiltrators. This agreement facilitates the tracking of suspects as well as mutually aiding in investigations related to “jihadist” networks.

 

According to the El Khabar report, the Army leadership began applying a pre-agreed security plan of operational co-ordination with the Tunisian Army three weeks ago. The plan identifies over 80 border points over more than 956km that are suspected of being used for infiltration and smuggling.

 

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

 

© 2013 Menas Associates