Algeria president holds meeting with military officials

ALGIERS, Algeria

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held a meeting with the country’s military leadership, the presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune in his capacity as Commander in Chief of the armed forces and Minister of Defense has visited the headquarters of the National Defense Ministry and held a work-meeting," the statement said.

It was Tebboune’s first meeting with the military leadership since he took the office in Dec. 19.

On Dec. 23, Algerian military’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ahmed Gaid Saleh died at the age of 79 following a heart attack.

Gen. Said Chengriha, who headed the Algerian land forces, was announced his successor.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara