Département du Renseignement et de la Sécurité

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The département du Renseignement et de la Sécurité (DRS) is the Algerian intelligence service. Its existence dates back to the struggle for independence, under the start-off by Abdelhafid Boussouf, his role was to lead both the national and international networks of the FLN, after the independence of the country in 1962 and particularly with the accession of Houari Boumédiène to the leadership of the country in 1965, the Algerian intelligence services experienced a great change at the level of their internal organisation, were inspired to a large extent by the way of working of the services of the Eastern bloc, this is thus that they were attributed the name of Sécurité Militaire (SM) with the main missions :

Struggle against any kind of espionage
Preservation of the internal security of the country
Defence of the vital interests of Algeria in other countries

The first leader to have been appointed to the chair of the Military Security was the colonel Kasdi Merbah who stayed until the death of president Boumédiène in 1978. Then he was succeeded for a short time by colonel Yazid Zerhouni. Consequently president Chadli mistrusted the SM, smashed it and appointed to the chair of the DGPS general Lakehal Ayat, un service that did not have prerogatives other than for foreign intelligence. The tragic events of Octobre of 88 pushed president Chadli Bendjedid to dismiss general Ayat of his functions. Then his successor was general Betchine. Then a period of major political change started with the setting-up of a multi-party system but also of the rise of the islamist movement incarnated by the FIS. The services changed name, from DGPS to DRS with the nomination of the current corps general of the army Mohamed Mediène in November of 1990, who chairs the department.

Below there is a list of the chairmen of the DRS :