This article describes a tension between Algeria and Tunisia that DOES NOT exist.
Wondering what your sources may be. The Minister of Defense of Tunisia himself acknowledged publicly the shortcomings of Tunisia in the intelligence field, and as he put it “ without the help of Algeria with regards to Intelligence we would have been overwhelmed by the jihadi rebels”.
Furthermore, the successes that this article describes are in part Algerian, or rather joint Tunisian/Algerian wins.
Algeria and Tunisia have signed a joint agreement whereby Algeria agreed to assist Tunisia with its COIN campaign in the common border area.
Algerian Helicopters have actively participated in COIN operations on Tunisian soil at the request of Tunisian authorities.
Tunisia has a very courageous and tenacious military, but they are under-equipped whilst Algeria has one of the largest military in the Mediterranean, and was ranked #1 in Africa prior to Egypt’s recent acquisitions.
Algeria is helping Tunisia in its COIN campaign, first out of solidarity as the two countries are very close allies, and second out of common interest.
Algeria cannot afford, and will not allow terrorism to take hold in Tunisia.
The security and stability of the two countries is intertwined, Algeria wants Tunisia to succeed in its COIN campaign and provides financial, military and intelligence support to the Tunisian authorities to that effect.
Sorry, but the story involving the scrambling of an Algerian Su30MKA in response to Tunisian air raids in the Kasserine region is pure fantasy.
Anyone with basic knowledge of these two countries and their security / defense apparatus would dismiss it as complete nonsense.
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