General information
Part of Conflict: Algeria: Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1982-07-01
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: In July 1982 the clandestine group the Armed Islamic Movement (MIA) (also known as the Mouvement Algérien Islamique Armé (MAIA)) was formed with the specific aim of toppling the Algerian regime and introducing an Islamic state. During the spring of 1981 an Islamist grouping, led by Mustapha Bouyali, had tried to organize a demonstration in order to try to persuade the authorities to implement the Islamic law, sharia. The protest march had been a failure and when the authorities clamped down on Bouyali\'s grouping in April 1982 he decided to go underground and continue his struggle with arms, leading to the formation of the MIA three months later. It has not been found that the MIA made a public statement saying that they sought to create an Islamic state through the use of arms. However, seeing as there is a clear connection between Bouyali's group's public efforts to persuade the government to create an Islamic state, the authorities clamp down on his group, the formation of the MIA and the MIA's choice of using arms, the creation of the MIA in July 1982 will be seen as the first stated goal of incompatibility.
Date of first use of armed force: 1985-08-27
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 27 August 1985 the MIA attacked a police barracks in Soumma. Six days earlier the group had committed its first act of violence, when they robbed a factory near Algiers taking the workers' payroll.
First Battle Related Death: 1985-08-27
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 27 August 1985 the MIA attacked a police barracks in Soumma, killing one police cadet.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1992-03-10
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: It was reported that before 10 March 1992, 31 members of security forces had died in the unrest. This was before the other Algerian rebel group at the time FIS has called to arms. Armed Islamic Movement (MIA) had lost at least 200 fighters between 9 February and the end of December 1992.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1982
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1985
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1 |
| Best | 1 |
| Low | 1 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1992
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 336 |
| Best | 257 |
| Low | 257 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1993
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 835 |
| Best | 775 |
| Low | 775 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1994
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1469 |
| Best | 1346 |
| Low | 1346 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1995
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 151 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 1 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1996
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 153 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 19 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1997
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 220 |
| Best | 40 |
| Low | 40 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1998
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
1999
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 9 |
| Best | 9 |
| Low | 9 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
2000
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Algeria): n/a
Side B (AIS): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1982 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1985 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1992 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1993 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: In December 1993 the first negations were held between the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) and the Algerian authorities, in Blida Algeria. The talks were conducted by the imprisoned FIS leadership, probably Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj, and the Algerian Defense Minister Liamine Zeroual. The negotiations concerned the ending of the ongoing violence, the release of the FIS leadership, the lifting of the ban on FIS, the end of using torture and indiscriminate killings by the security forces.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1994 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: There were negotiations between the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) leaders, Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj, and Algerian government officials from December 1993 to 30 March 1994. The talks concerned the release of FIS leaders, lifting of the FIS ban, an amnesty, a three year transitional period to get back to democracy, a public call by the FIS to end the violence and the end of using torture and indiscriminate killings by the security forces. Further talks were initiated in August 1994 when the FIS leader Abassi Madani sent two letters to President Liamine Zeroual where he stated that his party agreed to respect, among other things, party pluralism, freedom of opinion and the principle of changes in government through elections. During he following negotiations the issues brought up in the letter were discussed as was the release of the imprisoned FIS leaders, a call by the FIS to end the violence, the future role of the national army, the nature of a transitional regime, the status of the around 10 000 political prisoners held by the authorities and a demand by the FIS to be allowed to gather its consultative council in order to discuss before a peace agreement was reached. By the end of October 1994 the negotiations ended, reportedly due to disagreements over the issues concerning the future role of the army, the nature of a transitional regime and the status of the estimated 10 000 political prisoners. There were reports that secrete negotiations were resumed already in November 1994.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1995 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: Between May and early July 1995, negotiations were held between the imprisoned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) leaders, probably Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj, and representatives of the Algerian government. The talks concerned the calling of a ceasefire, the right of the FIS leadership to meet and consult each other, the release of the FIS leaders, disarmament, and an amnesty and the legalisation of the FIS. The talks broke down in early July 1995, apparently due to a refusal by the FIS to call for the end of violence before its leaders were released.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1996 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: In May 1996 negotiations were initiated between the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) and the Algerian authorities. It seems as if the talks mostly concerned the possibilities of calling a ceasefire. The negotiations, which continued until early 2000, resulted in the passing of the Law on Civil Concord, which gave partial amnesty for Islamists belonging to armed groups, in July 1999 by both the Algerian parliament and senate. In January 2000 the AIS and the Algerian government concluded an accord in which, among other things, all AIS fighters received full amnesty.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1997 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: Talks between the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), and the Algerian government, which had been initiated in May 1996, continued in 1997. It is known that the talks at least concerned the calling of a ceasefire, something that was done on 1 October 1997, and probably also the release of two FIS leaders, Abbassi Madani and Abdel Kader Hachani. Both were released in September 1997. The ceasefire had been negotiated by the AIS leader Madani Mezrag and the Chief of Staff General Ismail Lamari. The negotiations, which continued until early 2000, resulted in the passing of the Law on Civil Concord, which gave partial amnesty for Islamists belonging to armed groups, in July 1999 by both the Algerian parliament and senate. In January 2000 the AIS and the Algerian government concluded an accord in which, among other things, all AIS fighters received full amnesty.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Ceasefire
Date of termination: 1997-10-01
Comment on Termination: The Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), called for a unilateral ceasefire starting on 1 October 1997. There had, however, already been a de facto ceasefire between the Algerian government and the AIS for 3 months.
1998 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1999 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: Talks between the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), and the Algerian government, which had been initiated in May 1996, continued throughout 1997-99. The talks concerned issues such as: a general amnesty for AIS fighters, financial compensation for AIS fighters families, housing for those AIS members which had had their houses destroyed by the security forces, assisting AIS fighters in finding employment, the permanent disbandedment of the AIS and the creation of a special force composed of former AIS fighters which would aid government troops in fighting rebels of the more extremist Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). The direct consequence of the negotiations was the passing of the Law on Civil Concord, which gave partial amnesty for Islamists belonging to armed groups, in July 1999 by both the Algerian parliament and senate. In January 2000 the AIS and the Algerian government concluded an accord in which, among other things, all AIS fighters received full amnesty.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2000 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
