The Role of Algeria in Libya
Algeria is soon scheduled to host a conference, with the presence of Western diplomats, on the danger of terrorist activities in the aftermath of the Arab revolutions. Although there is, of course, the danger of Islamists emerging taking effectively to take over the region, the Algerian government hardly seems to be the suitable interlocutor in matters relating to either counterterrorism or democracy.
When members of the Gaddafi family, according to media reports, escaped to Algeria.at the end of August -- when Muammar Gaddafi's second wife, Safia; two of his sons, Mohammed and Hannibal, and his daughter Aisha managed to cross the border and find refuge in the neighboring country -- not only did the Libyan rebels consider the Algerian government's hospitality towards the Gaddafis an act of aggression; the same opinion was shared by the Algerian opposition, who accused Algerian government of trying to suppress any popular democratic hopes.
Although the Algerian government has argued that the reason it gave the Gaddafi family safe haven was merely for humanitarian reasons, the two military dictatorships, Algeria and Libya, have, since the 1980s, shared same stances on regional issues -- including the wish to wrest the Western Sahara, controlled by the Polisario, from Morocco; and a hostility toward Israel.
The Polisario
The Polisario is a politico-military organization currently fighting Morocco to take control of the former Western Sahara, currently under Morocco's sovereignty, and win independence for that region. According to a source from the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC), on the French website, geotribune.com, some 556 fighters belonging to the Polisario Front have been apprehended by the forces of the NTC.
The Polisario's headquarters are based in the Algerian town of Tindouf, close to the Moroccan border.. The African Press Agency claims that the Algerian government still supports Gaddafi in his attempts to recruit mercenaries -- especially from the Polisario: "The Algerian government spares no effort to facilitate the arrival of new reinforcements for Gaddafi to shield his regime from falling and avoid the repercussions on Algeria's stability that may arise from such a collapse."
Although Polisario mercenaries have been captured, primarily in the city of Zawiya and in the Bab El Aziziah compound in Tripoli, according to geotribune.com,. full evidence of their presence in Libya had also been found at the Algerian Embassy in Tripoli, attacked by insurgents on August 22. According to the same source, many Polisario combatants were killed during the fights that preceded the collapse of the Gaddafi regime; others managed to flee.
Algeria is soon scheduled to host a conference, with the presence of Western diplomats, on the danger of terrorist activities in the aftermath of the Arab revolutions. Although there is, of course, the danger of Islamists emerging taking effectively to take over the region, the Algerian government hardly seems to be the suitable interlocutor in matters relating to either counterterrorism or democracy.
When members of the Gaddafi family, according to media reports, escaped to Algeria.at the end of August -- when Muammar Gaddafi's second wife, Safia; two of his sons, Mohammed and Hannibal, and his daughter Aisha managed to cross the border and find refuge in the neighboring country -- not only did the Libyan rebels consider the Algerian government's hospitality towards the Gaddafis an act of aggression; the same opinion was shared by the Algerian opposition, who accused Algerian government of trying to suppress any popular democratic hopes.
Although the Algerian government has argued that the reason it gave the Gaddafi family safe haven was merely for humanitarian reasons, the two military dictatorships, Algeria and Libya, have, since the 1980s, shared same stances on regional issues -- including the wish to wrest the Western Sahara, controlled by the Polisario, from Morocco; and a hostility toward Israel.
The Polisario
The Polisario is a politico-military organization currently fighting Morocco to take control of the former Western Sahara, currently under Morocco's sovereignty, and win independence for that region. According to a source from the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC), on the French website, geotribune.com, some 556 fighters belonging to the Polisario Front have been apprehended by the forces of the NTC.
The Polisario's headquarters are based in the Algerian town of Tindouf, close to the Moroccan border.. The African Press Agency claims that the Algerian government still supports Gaddafi in his attempts to recruit mercenaries -- especially from the Polisario: "The Algerian government spares no effort to facilitate the arrival of new reinforcements for Gaddafi to shield his regime from falling and avoid the repercussions on Algeria's stability that may arise from such a collapse."
Although Polisario mercenaries have been captured, primarily in the city of Zawiya and in the Bab El Aziziah compound in Tripoli, according to geotribune.com,. full evidence of their presence in Libya had also been found at the Algerian Embassy in Tripoli, attacked by insurgents on August 22. According to the same source, many Polisario combatants were killed during the fights that preceded the collapse of the Gaddafi regime; others managed to flee.
