Djelloul Chetouane to Africa News: Algeria is a safety valve in the Sahel amid media manipulation

The fast-moving events in Mali are not merely a border or security conflict, but a complex file in which international powers, regional alliances, smuggling networks and terrorist groups intersect — all of which are reshaping the map of the Sahel.

What everyone should know:

• Mali is going through a sensitive phase after military coups, the collapse of institutions and a widening power vacuum exploited by outside actors to redraw spheres of influence;
• terrorist groups are moving with new plans towards southern Algeria, Niger and Burkina Faso, increasing security pressure on the whole region;
• Western channels such as France 24, the BBC and CNN are building a misleading narrative about the situation in the Sahel that serves states seeking influence at the expense of regional stability;
• there are open attempts to turn Mali into a gateway for chaos and push the region into a long conflict by backing separatist or extremist groups.

Algeria’s position, as stated by the president of Hisn Al-Mateen Bloc, Mr Djelloul Chetouane, in the interview published today:

• Algeria is a safety valve in the Sahel and acts with the logic of a State, not of propaganda;
• Algeria does not intervene militarily in Mali, but acts through smart security diplomacy that protects its borders and preserves Mali’s unity;
• the security of the South is a red line, and Algeria’s borders are protected by strong capabilities;
• Algerian civil society is called on to act in parallel to raise awareness and break disinformation.

In conclusion:

What is happening in Mali today is not a passing event but a battle of narratives and influence. As the Bloc’s president put it: “The political and security reality in the Sahel requires proactive action by Algerian civil society to confront malicious media campaigns.”