ALGIERS

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday sacked the commanders of Algeria’s ground and air forces, along with the secretary-general of the Algerian Defense Ministry, the Al-Nahar satellite channel has reported.

Known to be close to the Algerian presidency, the channel quoted “informed sources” as saying that Bouteflika had sacked Major-General Hassan Tafer, commander of Algeria’s ground forces, replacing him with Major-General Said Shankarikha.

According to the same source, Air Force Commander Major-General Abdul Qader al-Wannas was also dismissed and replaced with Major-General Baumiza Mohamed.

Bouteflika also sacked Defense Ministry Secretary-General Mohamed Zanakhri, appointing General Hamid Ghraise in his place, the same channel reported.

In line with Algerian official custom, the government has so far refrained from formally commenting on the recent raft of dismissals and new appointments.

Since the beginning of 2018, Bouteflika has presided over numerous changes, replacing senior military commanders, the chief of Algeria’s Defense Ministry-affiliated gendarmerie and the country’s chief of police.

Reporting by Abdul Razzaq bin Abdullah; Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg