Operation El-Kseur was a military confrontation between the Algerian People's National Army and the GSPC in El Kseur, Algeria in June 2004. It resulted in the death of GSPC leader Nabil Sahraoui.

Operation El-Kseur
Part of Insurgency in the Maghreb
DateJune 2004
Location
Result Algerian victory
Belligerents
Algeria Algeria al-Qaeda GSPC
Commanders and leaders
Unknown al-Qaeda Nabil Sahraoui  
al-Qaeda Si Abdelaziz  
al-Qaeda Mourad Kettab  
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Background

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On June 2, 2004, the GSPC launched a deadly assault on Algerian soldiers, killing 12 and injuring 26. In response, the Algerian army initiated a full-scale operation against the GSPC. The operation targeted a forested area in the Kabylia region, particularly in El Kseur, Béjaia Province.[1][2] The mountains of Kabylia have been recognized as a hub for terrorism since the end of the Algerian Civil War in 2002.[3]

Operation

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Following a three-day gun battle in the woods of El Kseur, the GSPC suffered defeat, signaling a victory for the Algerian army. Among the casualties were Nabil Sahraoui, the Emir of the GSPC, Abi Abdelaziz, his right-hand man, and Mourad Kettab, who was responsible for intelligence and communication.[1][2][4][5][6] The bodies were then taken to the Frantz Fanon hospital morgue in Béjaia, where Nabil Sahraoui's family was informed of his death.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "RFI - Algérie - «L'émir national» du GSPC abattu". www1.rfi.fr. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  2. ^ a b "Algérie : le groupe salafiste décapité". L'Obs (in French). 2004-06-24. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  3. ^ "North Africa's Menace" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015.
  4. ^ Evans, Martin; Phillips, John (2008-01-14). Algeria: Anger of the Dispossessed. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-17722-0.
  5. ^ "Algérie : l'"émir" du Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat aurait été tué". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2004-06-20. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  6. ^ "Vie et mort d'un terroriste - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-03-03.