Algerian army chief of staff resigned: official silence and press rumors

Both the civilian and military authorities in Algeria cling to complete silence over the resignation of the Algerian army chief of staff Lt. gen. Muhammad al-Ammari whose absence raises vagueness, while the Algerian press considered his resignation as a settled matter.

The Algerian daily al-Khabar was the first to mention news on the resignation of al-Ammari and then several Algerian French dailies published the news without official confirmation.

The Algerian daily " Expression " said yesterday that of the defense minister and chief of the armed forces ( the Algerian President ) Abdul Aziz Butaflika accepted the resignation, the paper also predicted that changes will not be confined to the presidency of the army." The paper considered that al-Ammari resignation will lead to " complete redrawing of the political square."

Al-Ammari absence during the visit of the French minister of defense Michael Mary to Algeria on July 16 and 18 raised several questions and predictions. Official sources then said that the army chief of staff was on a vacation.