SUMMARY
The conflict between GIA (Groupe Islamique armée: Armed Islamic Group) and AIS (Mouvement Islamique Armée: Armed Islamic Movement) has its roots in a different approach towards the common goal; to achieve a change in the Algerian government. Both organizations had been active in state-based violence challenging the Algerian government, the first incident of violence between the two rebel groups is believed to have taken place in late April 1995. These clashes can be attributed to territorial disputes between the two groups. The early summer of 1995 saw several violent clashes between the groups, during the period between April and May 51 people are believed to have died due to the conflict. Following the initial violence, there was a hiatus concerning violent activities, both groups were however active in the state-based conflict raging in Algeria during these years. The non-state conflict surfaced again, one year later, this time the conflict was centered on the issue of violence towards civilians; a tactic that GIA used frequently, especially targeting foreigners. When AIS put forward a unilateral cease-fire vowing to refrain from targeting civilians, this was seen by GIA as a sell-out of the Islamic struggle. Given these prerequisites the groups clashed during the last days of 1997. During a few days of unrest 250 people lost their lives. This type of violence GIA attacking AIS for selling out the Islamic struggle continued in 1998. The tactics used by particularly GIA was to identify villages where former AIS members lived, seek them out and kill them for being part of an organization that had offered a cease-fire, thereby selling out the holy war against the Government of Algeria. This pattern was repeated on several occasions during 1998, and according to newspaper sources, 25 persons lost their lives.
The different groups were initially divided geographically, GIAhad its strongholds in Algiers city, the central and western parts of Algeria, AIS, on the other hand, were based in the eastern and northern provinces. Despite this geographical divide the groups clashed both in the central parts of the country, in Midtja, a farming area south of the capital Algiers, as well as the eastern province of Jijel and the western province of Ain Defla. The violence has however not spread to any neighboring countries.
The non-state conflict between AIS and GIAis first included in UCDP data in 1995. Violent clashes between the two groups in late April and early May resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.
