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Algeria Battles Recruiters From Jabhat Al-Nusra

Algeria's security services are reaching out to neighboring countries in an effort to thwart Jabhat al-Nusra's recruitment of young people for jihad in Syria.
A fighter from the Islamist Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra is seen in front of a burning vehicle, caused by what activists said were missiles fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter jet from forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, at their base in Raqqa province, east Syria, May 12, 2013. REUTERS/Hamid Khatib (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTXZJTP

ALGIERS — Algeria continues to maintain pressure on the jihadist recruiting network targeting Maghreb youth to fight in Syria alongside Jabhat al-Nusra against the Syrian regime. Its security services, which have succeeded in dismantling some dormant cells in charge of recruiting Algerians to carry out jihad in what they call the Levant, have had to deal with groups operating in the provinces of Algiers, Ghardaia, Tebessa, Tlemcen, Oued Souf, Djelfa, Tiaret, Biskara, IIlizi and Annaba during the last six months.

Specialists on terrorism in the security services found that some of them are affiliated with the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS). This terrorist organization that was an armed wing of the FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) and dissolved on Jan. 1, 2000, was presumed to have some remaining members active in the recruitment of unemployed young people.

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