The U.S. State Department has expressed disagreement with Algeria’s decision to maintain the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK) and the Islamist Rachad movement on its list of terrorist organizations.
In its latest report, the U.S. states that Algeria’s focus on these groups is more political than security-related, and neither group appears to have committed acts of terrorism as defined by the United States.
This position is based on the 2023 U.S. National Terrorism Report on Algeria, which states that these movements have not engaged in terrorist activities under U.S. criteria.
However, the report notes that both local and international observers, including the UN, have claimed that Algerian authorities have used anti-terrorism laws and restrictive measures on freedom of expression to arrest political activists and government critics.
The U.S. recognizes Algeria’s cooperation in combating regional terrorism threats, citing its role in repatriating its last citizen from Guantanamo. The report mentions Algeria’s military capturing 16 terrorists, arresting 417 terror group affiliates, and destroying over 37 arms caches in counterterrorism operations.
However, the report also highlights that regional tensions between Morocco and Algeria remain a significant barrier to bilateral and regional counterterrorism cooperation.
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