In the hours following the suicide bombings in Blida, “The City of Roses,” located about forty kilometers from the capital Algiers, the Algerian authorities, on instructions from Boualem Boualem, Director of the Office of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, launched an unprecedented large-scale internal operation within their own security services.
The attacks occurred on the very day of the arrival in Algiers of Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost), Sovereign Pontiff of the Catholic Church and Head of State of Vatican City, on an official visit, sending shockwaves through the highest levels of the Algerian state apparatus.
According to sources close to the government, initial findings of the investigation quickly revealed serious malfunctions, and even possible complicity, within certain counterterrorism units across the police, gendarmerie, and military intelligence services under the authority of General Saïd Chengriha, who was reportedly reprimanded by the Director of the Presidential Office.
As early as the following day, several internal intelligence officials were removed from their posts or arrested, while dozens of agents were detained in various barracks and operational centers.
At the same time, the security response extended far beyond official structures. Members of the families of suspected suicide bombers were arrested in several regions of the country, officially for investigative purposes.
In parallel, authorities launched a manhunt for individuals suspected of filming or sharing footage of the attempted attacks. Several arrests were made after videos circulated on social media, with officials accusing the authors of undermining national security and spreading terrorist propaganda.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, Boualem Boualem ordered a strategic reorganization operation aimed at restoring the integrity and efficiency of all civilian and military security services under his authority.
The timing of the attacks alongside the Pope’s visit has fueled speculation. Some analysts see it as a political message intended to weaken the government on the international stage or even damage its diplomatic relations. Others point to an internal power struggle between rival factions within the security apparatus.
This climate of widespread suspicion marks a turning point for Algeria, where trust in the security services and the army, long considered pillars of the regime, now appears deeply shaken.
The coming days are expected to show whether this purge and wave of arrests will lead to a genuine overhaul or merely signal the beginning of broader tensions at the top of the state between the military and the presidency.