Tackle terrorism in its broader context

The recent attacks in Algeria highlight once again the importance of addressing terrorism within its broader context as an issue that is extremely challenging, yet not impossible to counter. The attacks also bring into question the effectiveness of the previous measures that have been adopted thus far.

The first bombing, targeting a military academy, killed 43 people and injured another 38. It was labelled by the Algerian interior ministry as one of the bloodiest seen in years.

A second double car bombing near a military barracks and a hotel killed at least 11 people and left no less than 31 injured. Over the past few months, Algeria has witnessed a series of devastating attacks which, in some cases, were blamed on an Al Qaida-related militant group.

So far the damaging results have gone beyond the body count as it has returned the country to an era of instability and wide-ranging incidents of terror attacks. This not only highlights the importance of addressing the issue as an ongoing effort that seeks a solution, but also issues relating to such attacks require a balanced and long-term resolution. Only then could stability be acquired and maintained.