3rd Military Region (Algeria)

The 3rd Military Region is a military region of the Algerian People's National Armed Forces. It has its headquarters at Béchar.

The military region system, adopted shortly after independence, grew out of the Algerian War wilaya structure and the need to fight regional insurgencies. Regional commanders control and administer bases, logistics, and housing, as well as conscript training. Commanders of army divisions and brigades, air force installations, and naval forces report directly to the Ministry of National Defense and service chiefs of staff on operational matters.^[1]

During the 1980s, many of the army's combat units were concentrated in the 2nd Military Region (Oran) and to a lesser extent in the 3rd Military Region (Béchar). Adjacent to Morocco, the 3rd Military Region straddles the main access routes from that country. It also borders the Western Sahara, embracing territory previously claimed by Morocco.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies in the Military Balance 2020 wrote that the was located at Béchar and the at Tindouf. The 93rd Military Police Battalion is also separately reported to be based at Bechar.

Regional commanders[]

Mohamed Zerguini took up command of the region in 1969.^[2] In December 1974, the reported to the State Department in Washington DC that Lieutenant Colonel Salim Saadi had been appointed as RM III commander in a ceremony presided over by President Boumediene during a visit there on November 27-29, replacing Colonel .^[3]

• Commandant (-)
• Colonel Liamine Zéroual (1984-1987)
• Colonel (1987-1987) (see fr:Mohamed Betchine)
• Général Ahmed Gaïd Salah (-1992)
• Général major (-2000)
• Général major (2000-2004)
• Général major Saïd Chengriha (2004-2018)
• Général major (since 2018)

References[]