Garde communale
{{short description|Military unit in Algeria}}
{{Expand French|topic=mil|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Garde Communale
| native_name = الحرس البلدي
| image = Algerian Municipal Guard.png
| image_size = 200px
| alt =
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| start_date = 3 August 1996
| end_date = 31 October 2012
| disbanded =
| country = {{flagdeco|Algeria}} Algeria
| allegiance = Algerian People's National Armed Forces
| branch =
| type = Paramilitary
| role = Counter-insurgency - Counter-terrorism
| size = 95 000
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| battles = Algerian Civil War
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In Algeria, the Garde Communale (Arabic: الحرس البلدي), was a paramilitary troop in charge of monitoring and protecting the municipalities during the Algerian Civil War.{{Cite web|url=https://www.interieur.gov.dz/index.php/fr/le-ministere/le-ministère/textes-legislatifs-et-reglementaires/51-la-garde-communale/416-arrêté-interministériel-du-26-juillet-2004-fixant-les-programmes-de-la-formation-spécialisée-pour-l’accès-au-corps-de-la-garde-communale-jora-n°56.html|title=Arrêté interministériel du 26 juillet 2004 fixant les programmes de la formation spécialisée pour l'accès au corps de la garde communale (JORA n°56)|website=Ministère de l'Intérieur et de Collectivités locales}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2005/06/09/algerie-13-gardes-communaux-tues-apres-l-explosion-d-une-bombe_659966_3212.html|title=Treize gardes communaux tués après l'explosion d'une bombe|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=June 9, 2005|via=Le Monde}}
Creation
The Garde Communale was created in 1996 as an auxiliary force by the Algerian government, under the impetus of the Algerian People's National Armed Forces authority. It played a significant role counter-terrorism warfare against armed Islamist groups.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2001/10/16/algerie-11-gardes-communaux-tues-pres-de-bir-el-ater_4191098_1819218.html|title=ALGÉRIE : 11 gardes communaux tués près de Bir el-Ater|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=October 16, 2001|via=Le Monde}}[https://www.aps.dz/algerie/73703-l-etat-oeuvrera-a-repondre-aux-preoccupations-des-elements-de-la-garde-communale l'Etat oeuvrera à répondre aux préoccupations des éléments de la Garde communale]
History
File:Draissia - garde communale - panoramio.jpg
File:Manifestation des gardes communaux à Alger (5598297248).jpg
{{Main|Algerian Civil War}}
During the Algerian Civil War, the Algerian Army forces responsible for the security of the country in the big cities and the communes, were confronted with surging terrorist attacks which caused many losses in their ranks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/fr/20110307-algerie-gardes-communaux-alger-bravent-interdiction-marche-police-gendarmerie-manifestations|title=Le gouvernement désormais confronté à la grogne des gardes communaux|date=March 7, 2011|website=France 24}}
The military authorities, eager to relieve the army, which practically alone bore the weight of the anti-guerrilla warfare, decided, jointly with the Ministry of the Interior, to create a communal guard on 3 August 1996.[https://www.aps.dz/algerie/63786-le-ministere-de-l-interieur-en-contact-permanent-avec-les-gardes-communaux-pour-satisfaire-leurs-revendications Le ministère de l'Intérieur en contact permanent avec les gardes communaux pour satisfaire leurs revendications]
To do this, they recruit from the same pool as the guerrilla factions and local armed bands. Young people from the former Islamic Salvation Front join the municipal guard, by political calculation or by necessity. In the difficult economic situation of young people, a job in security is a godsend.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liberte-algerie.com/actualite/les-gardes-communaux-maintiennent-la-pression-302282|title=Les gardes communaux maintiennent la pression: Toute l'actualité sur liberte-algerie.com|website=www.liberte-algerie.com}}
The recruits were supervised by the Gendarmerie Nationale and received an accelerated training of two months, wore the uniform and were paid, the government was able to offer them advantages such as housing and cars, but remained suspicious and did not entrust them with more sophisticated weaponry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radioalgerie.dz/news/fr/tags/gardes-communaux|title=Gardes communaux | Radio Algérienne|website=www.radioalgerie.dz}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.elwatan.com/regions/ouest/mascara/mascara-les-anciens-gardes-communaux-reviennent-a-la-charge-06-07-2019|title=Mascara : Les anciens gardes communaux reviennent à la charge | El Watan|website=www.elwatan.com}}
The Garde Communale was placed under the authority of the mayors of the DEC (Communal Executive Delegation) and the walis (prefects) and integrated into the new anti-guerrilla fight system, the communal guard succeeded in securing reconquered urban areas and allowing the army counter-terrorist corps to undertake its first attacks against the Armed Islamic Group maquis in 1994.[https://www.reporters.dz/ex-gardes-communaux-le-retour-de-la-colere/ Ex-gardes communaux : Le retour de la colère | REPORTERS ALGERIE]
Members of the communal guard did not leave city centers in their early stages, and were only ever operational inside urban centers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elwatan.com/regions/est/biskra/les-anciens-gardes-communaux-montent-au-creneau-03-01-2021|title=Biskra : Les anciens gardes communaux montent au créneau | El Watan|website=www.elwatan.com}}
The Garde Communale was sometimes employed in search operations against armed Islamist groups in the mountains.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liberte-algerie.com/actualite/les-gardes-communaux-reviennent-a-la-charge-277614|title=Les gardes communaux reviennent à la charge: Toute l'actualité sur liberte-algerie.com|website=www.liberte-algerie.com}}
Dissolution
The Garde Communale was dissolved by decree on 31 October 2012.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/portfolio/2011/03/07/des-gardes-communaux-defilent-a-alger-malgre-l-interdiction_1489735_3212.html|title=Photos. Des gardes communaux défilent à Alger malgré l'interdiction|newspaper=Le Monde.fr }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.reporters.dz/mouvement-social-nouveau-malaise-chez-les-ex-gardes-communaux/ |title=Mouvement social :Nouveau malaise chez les ex-gardes communaux {{!}} REPORTERS ALGERIE |access-date=2021-02-15 |archive-date=2020-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127220851/https://www.reporters.dz/mouvement-social-nouveau-malaise-chez-les-ex-gardes-communaux/ |url-status=dead }}
See also
{{div col}}
- Law enforcement in Algeria
- Algerian People's National Armed Forces
- Gendarmerie Nationale
- Special Intervention Detachment
- Algerian police
- Paramilitary
- Algerian Civil War
- List of armed groups in the Algerian Civil War
- Terrorist bombings in Algeria
- List of massacres during the Algerian Civil War
- Guerrilla warfare
- Counter-insurgency
- Counter-terrorism
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Algerian security forces}}
{{Africa topic|Law enforcement in}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garde communale}}
Category:Law enforcement in Algeria
Category:Paramilitary organisations based in Algeria
Category:Military units and formations established in 1996
Category:1996 establishments in Algeria
Category:Civil–military relations
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2012
Category:2010s disestablishments in Algeria
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