By RFIPublished on 12/23/2019 Modified on 12/23/2019 at 7:56 p.m.

After the death of Gaïd Salah, the Algerian head of state instructed General Said Changriha, commander of the Land Forces, to act as chief of staff of the National People's Army.

Said Changriha is considered to be close to Ahmed Gaïd Salah , the Algerian chief of staff who died on December 23. He is not a media face, but he always appeared alongside Gaïd Salah during official celebrations.

Since independence, it has traditionally been the chief of the land forces to succeed the chief of the army staff. It is therefore natural that the post comes back to him. Appointing him in 2018 as commander of the land forces, was already drawing the road map for this succession.

According to several specialists, Said Changriha, for the time being acting, will be confirmed in the next stage as chief of staff.

A soldier known to never smile

Born in 1945 in the Biskra region, Said Changriha is one of the most senior officers in the Algerian army, a "hawk". He is also known for being very strict and never smiling.

Became major-general in 2003, he held several sensitive positions. In the 1990s, he was one of the figures in the fight against terrorism. He recently oversaw the protection of 1,000 km of Algerian borders in the desert.

Said Changriha is also a fierce defender of the Polisario and of the independence of the Sahrawi population. He personally trained the Polisario forces and still supervises their activities in Tindouf. He always made very virulent remarks against the neighboring kingdom.

Said Changriha oversaw the smooth running of the presidential election on December 12, imposed by Ahmed Gaïd Salah.

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