In the name of Mr. president of the republic, High commander of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defense and in accordance with the presidential decree of 12 November 2024, Mr. General Saïd CHANEGRIHA, Minister delegate to the Minister of national defense, Chief of Staff of People's National Army led, the morning of Wednesday 20 November 2024, the ceremony of handing over the authority and installation of the Major General Mostefa SMAALI in position of Commander of Land Forces replacing Major General Amar ATAMNIA.
After the welcoming ceremony, Mr. General Saïd CHANEGRIHA held a moment of prayer for the soul of chahid « Didouche Mourad », whose name is carried by the siege commandment, where he placed a floral tribute in front of the memorial milestone of the martyr, and recited the Fatiha on his soul and on the souls of our brave Chouhada.
At the parade ground, and in presence of members of commandment of Land Forces, Mr. General Saïd CHANEGRIHA announced the official installation of Major-General Mostefa SMAALI, Commander of Land Forces, in which he said:
« In the name of the President of the Republic, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence, and in accordance with the presidential decree of 12th November 2024, I officially install Major General Mostefa SMAALI in the functions of Commander of the Land Forces, replacing Major General Amar ATAMNIA.
Also, I order you to work under his authority, to follow his orders and to execute his instructions, in the interest of the service, in application of the military regulations and the laws of the Republic, and by showing loyalty to the sacrifices of our valiant Chouhada and to the values of our glorious Revolution». The General then presided over the ceremony of handing over the national flag.
After validating the handover and receipt of authority, Mr. General, Minister delegate to the Minister of national defense, Chief of Staff of People's National Army held a meeting with leaders and members of the Land Forces, where he made a guidance speech, broadcasted via visio-conferencing to all the military regions, in which he congratulated Major General Mostefa SMAALI, on his new position as the Land Forces Commander and emphasized his personal commitment on authority's handover since it is considered a fresh breath to the ranks of the people's National Army:
« I would like to emphasize on this occasion that the rotation of authorities and positions at all levels, is considered a good practice and a normal matter in the organization and management of institutions, as each officer contributes to improving the performance of individuals, providing the suitable circumstances and the qualified human ressources to ensure the continuity of the institution, serving our country and fulfilling it's great purpose.
I have been personally keen to make this rotation of positions and authorities an ongoing tradition and a prevailing culture, through which a new breath is released between the ranks of the army, and a renewed dynamism, especially in the light of the quick changes taking place in our country, which brings with it new security challenges and more complex threats that require us to constantly adapt to them».
At the end, Mr. General Saïd CHANEGRIHA pay tribute to the efforts made by Mr. Major General, Ammar ATAMNIA, during his command of the Land Forces Command, then followed by the intervention of staff and personnel who expressed their concerns and interest; and gave instructions and guidance on combat preparation, human ressources and the proper maintenance of equipement.
