Algeria’s capital, Algiers, has been gripped by an unprecedented security lockdown following the escape of Major General Abdelkader Haddad, the former head of the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), known as Nasser El-Djinn.
The former intelligence chief vanished while under house arrest, prompting a nationwide security response not seen since the 1990s.
On September 18 and 19, the streets of Algiers and its suburbs were dominated by police and military checkpoints, systematic vehicle searches, and helicopter patrols. Traffic came to a standstill as authorities sought to locate Haddad, whose disappearance has sent shockwaves through the country’s security establishment.
Abdelkader Haddad, who led the DGSI from July 2024 until his abrupt dismissal in May 2025, was a close ally of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and had supported the president’s re-election in September 2024.
Following his dismissal, Haddad was initially detained in the military prison in Blida, later transferred to Béchar, and eventually placed under house arrest in a secure villa in Dely-Ibrahim, overlooking Algiers.
“The escape of Nasser El-Djinn is a shockwave,” said a security source, describing the apparent involvement of internal accomplices. The incident highlights fault lines within Algeria’s security and military apparatus and underscores the rivalries simmering among political and military elites.
The High Security Council (HCS) convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, September 18, to address the crisis. Details of the discussion were not released, but the heavy security deployment across the capital indicated significant concern at the highest levels of government.
Analysts warn that Haddad’s disappearance could exacerbate instability during a period in which the government has been promoting its “new Algeria” project. The event underscores the fragility of Algeria’s internal security structures and the ongoing tensions between competing factions within the regime.
As the search continues, residents of Algiers remain on edge, navigating streets dominated by checkpoints and patrols, a stark reminder of the power struggles hidden behind the country’s public image of stability.
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