Algeria: Emir Abdelmalek Droukdel Loses Control Over AQIM
Droukdel Loses Control Over AQIM (Magharebia.com)
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is plagued by divisions, leadership clashes and waning influence, a letter from the terror group leader reveals.
“The organisation is sick,” Abdelmalek Droukdel said in a letter published in Algeria’s Echorouk on September 11th. “I have done my best to extrapolate the situation in spite of lacking access to information from the brigades and the units.”
Algerian security forces seized the letter during a recent arrest of one of the organisation members. He was planning to distribute the message to other AQIM members.Droukdel, aka Abou Moussaab Abdelouadoud, pinned the blame on “terrorist members that no longer respect the decisions of their emirs”. He admitted that the emirs were stripped of all powers and that terrorists were carrying out random and “undisciplined” actions.
He noted “the fragility of the situation and the low morale among many of its members, and discontent with the emirs who are considered to be responsible for the situation”.
The organisation suffers from instability, internal problems as well as regulatory gaps due to lack of co-ordination and poorly defined responsibilities, the letter read.