Illegal immigration threatens Algerian national security

Algerian officials fear the growing phenomenon of illegal immigration, after becoming a source of concern, due to the huge influx on the  southern and eastern of Algerian border.Algerian Ministry of Defense, lift the state of emergency and deployed thousands of soldiers on the border to reduce the infiltration of extremists, smugglers and illegal immigrants.

Algeria receives a quarter million between migrants and refugees who fleeing from wars and internal conflicts. So, the illegal immigration became a threat to national security of Algeria, especially after the rapid increase of the number of illegal immigrants in the country.

Algerian security expert, Ahmed Mezab, said in a statement to Arabs Today thatthis phenomenon has become a real threat to Algeria, especially in light of worsening of the terrorist threat on the Algerian border, whether south or east, due to the internal crises afflicting neighboring countries.

Regarding the number of illegal immigrants who have flocked to Algeria,Mezab said that there is no real number, they are flocking in a confidential manner and it is difficult to impose precise control on Algeria's long border.

Most of the illegal immigrants who have been arrested by the Algerian government forces,  proved to be involved in serious issues such as forgery and trafficking in human organs, and participating in serious terrorism acts,  and this is a major threat to the Algerian national security, Mezab added.

Algerian army forces must strictly control the border to crack down on illegal immigrants, the security expert said.

Algerian Interior Minister NoureddineBadawy, announced, last September, about arresting of a network operating in the trafficking of children, in Tamanrasset province, southern Algeria.

Anyone violates the public order will be punished, according to laws, Badwy said, adding that this what actually happened with those involved in some clashes.