Algeria to hold joint Desert Shield anti-terrorist drills with Russia

The military of the two countries will practice search, detection and elimination of terrorist groups in the desert setting

Joint Russian-Algerian anti-terrorist exercises dubbed Desert Shield 2022 will take place in Algeria for the first time, the press service of the Southern Military District told reporters on Tuesday, Qazet.az informs.

"The joint Russian-Algerian Desert Shield 2022 anti-terrorist drills will take place in Algeria for the first time. The second final planning conference on the preparation for the joint Russian-Algerian exercise was held in the Bechar Province of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. The representatives of the Southern Military District’s command and the Algerian People’s National Army approved the time frame, design and scenario of the exercise, the makeup of forces and means as well as determined the subject, goals, tasks and stages of the joint drills. <…> The exercise will be held this November at the Hammaguir testing ground in Algeria," the statement said.

The press service specified that the drills would involve about 80 servicemen from motor rifle units stationed in the North Caucasus and about 80 Algerian servicemen. During the exercise, the military of the two countries will practice search, detection and elimination of terrorist groups in the desert setting.

The first joint Russian-Algerian drills took place in North Ossetia in October 2021 with a total of about 200 servicemen participating and about 40 units of combat and special equipment involved. The Southern Military District’s schedule for 2022 also includes joint exercises with the armed forces of Egypt, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.