Algeria to Establish High-Security Desert Prison to Combat Drug Trafficking

Algerian authorities have announced that a military barracks in the remote Tanezrouft region, deep in the Sahara Desert, will be converted into a high-security prison for major drug traffickers. The decision follows a meeting of the High Security Council chaired by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The Tanezrouft region, located near the borders with Niger and Mali, is known for its harsh climate and extreme temperatures. In addition to the prison, the Algerian government announced the creation of a specialized security body dedicated to combating drug trafficking, modeled after similar agencies in countries such as the United States. These measures follow a recent police operation in which 10.5 million narcotic pills and 33 kilograms of cocaine were seized, leading to the arrest of 27 members of an organized network. During the same meeting, the High Security Council emphasized the need to resume the implementation of death sentences for those convicted of arson against forests and private property. Algeria has suspended the execution of death sentences since 1993. This move comes in the wake of a recent wave of massive wildfires in the country's eastern and central regions, which, according to Interior Minister Said Saayoud, have resulted in 12 deaths.