Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 27 March 2019
Algerian army chief wants president declared unfit to lead

By AOMAR OUALI especially struggling youth.
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Al- "In this context, it becomes
geria's powerful army chief necessary, even impera-
said Tuesday he wants to tive, to adopt a solution to
trigger the constitutional get out of the crisis which
process that would declare reflects the legitimate de-
President Abdelaziz Boute- mands of the Algerian peo-
flika unfit for office, after ple," Gaid Salah said in his
more than a month of mass televised address from a
protests against the ailing military base in the south-
leader's long rule. ern city of Ouargla.
The Algerian army's chief of Gaid Salah has served as
staff is one of the country's Bouteflika's public defend-
top power brokers, so the er so his remarks came as
announcement by Gen. a particular surprise. How-
Ahmed Gaid Salah could ever, another crucial fig-
pave the way for Boutef- ure, Constitutional Council
lika's ouster after 20 years in President Tayeb Belaiz, is a
power — or lead to a show- close friend of Bouteflika,
down with the president's who had served as interior
closest protectors. In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sits in a wheelchair after minister before becoming
The 82-year-old Bouteflika taking oath as President, in Algiers. a presidential aide. He has
has rarely been seen in Associated Press headed the Constitutional
public since a 2013 stroke. Council since February.
Gaid Salah said in remarks if the president is too ill to of the government until a have been held in Algeria Several opposition parties
carried on Algerian televi- fully exercise his functions presidential election can every Friday since Feb. 22. quickly reacted to the pro-
sion that "the only guaran- and to ask lawmakers to be held, according to the They accuse Bouteflika and posal, with the Rally for Cul-
tee for political stability" is declare him unfit. constitutional procedure. his entourage of corrup- ture and Democracy de-
to apply the article of the If the request receives two- Some protesters have tion, hoarding the gas-rich nouncing what it called "an
Algerian Constitution that thirds majority approval called for the application country's wealth and being attempted coup d'etat."
empowers the Constitu- in parliament, the Senate of Article 102 during mas- out of touch with the con- "Gaid Salah is part of our
tional Council to determine president takes charge sive demonstrations that cerns of ordinary Algerians, misfortune.q

IS attack on US-backed fighters kills 7 in northern Syria

Associated Press key, which says the Manbij
BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic Military Council is linked to
State group claimed re- its Kurdish insurgency.
sponsibility for an attack Turkey insists on the with-
on a checkpoint of U.S.- drawal of the Syrian Kurd-
backed forces in the north- ish-led militia, which liberat-
ern Syrian town on Manbij ed Manbij from the Islamic
that killed seven fighters on State group in 2016. In a
Tuesday. separate development,
The attack indicates that Russia and Syria urged the
IS can still launch deadly U.S. to discuss the evacua-
insurgent strikes and is far tion of a refugee camp in
from being completely de- southern Syria. The Russian
feated, despite losing all and Syrian refugee return
the territory it once con- coordination centers said
trolled in Iraq and Syria. Is- the U.S. ignored their invi-
lamic State militants were tation to attend Tuesday's
blamed for several attacks meeting on the closure of
in recent months in and the Rukban camp near
around Manbij, which was the Jordanian border. They
declared liberated in 2016. said in a statement that
Sharfan Darwish of the the meeting included trib-
Manbij Military Council told al leaders from the camp
The Associated Press that and U.N. officials. Russia
the attack came shortly and Syria say the camp's
after midnight at one of In this March 28, 2018 file photo, a Syrian fighter from the Kurdish police force, guards the entrance residents are suffering from
of the Manbij Military Council, the Kurdish-led, US-backed, militia group that defends Manbij,
the entrances to Manbij, Syria. malnutrition and disease
targeting the fighters who Associated Press and should be allowed to
"were carrying out their leave for government-con-
mission of protecting" the cell carried out the attack, a checkpoint on the west- killed 19 people, including trolled areas. They criticized
town. and that three other Man- ern edge of Manbij and two U.S. soldiers and two the U.S. for taking an "un-
The Britain-based Syr- bij Military Council fighters confiscated the weapons American civilians. constructive" stance and
ian Observatory for Human were wounded. of the U.S.-backed fighters. The fate of Manbij has denying entry to the camp.
Rights, a war monitoring In its claim of responsibility, In January, IS claimed a sui- been a source of tension The U.S. says it has allowed
group, said an IS sleeper IS said its followers targeted cide attack in Manbij that between the U.S. and Tur- aid delivery to Rukban.q