Algerian Army Chief assures to help end uncertainty

By Abdul Razak bin Abdullah

ALGIERS (AA) - Algeria’s Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Saleh on Wednesday said that military had no political aspirations, except supervising the current phase of uncertainty in the country, the state-run television reported.

Addressing military commanders in the capital Algiers, Saleh said that the army was with people in every sense. He urged the public to trust the army.

“Our goal is to serve the country and to honestly accompany the people, in order to overcome the current crises and to reach the constitutional legitimacy,” he said without elaborating.

"We are expecting an understanding that reaches to the level of confidence between the army and the people,” he added.

Since April, Algeria has been witnessing a transitional phase after former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who had ruled the country since 1999, stepped down following weeks of street protests.

Parliamentary Speaker Abdelkader Bensaleh is now serving as head of state for a 90-day transitional period, supervised by the Algerian army.

Since Bouteflika was ousted, hundreds of thousands of Algerians have been taking to streets across Algeria demanding dismissal of all government officials, affiliated with the previous regime -- including Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui.

The military has played a decisive role in Algeria’s politics since it won independence from France almost six decades ago.