The President of the Republic, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Minister of National Defense, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, led the graduation ceremony for the class of 2026 on Wednesday at the Houari Boumediene Military Academy in Cherchell, located within the Tipasa province.
This year’s graduating cohorts were named in honor of the late former President of the Republic, Liamine Zeroual, who passed away this past March at the age of 84.
The event took place in the presence of senior state dignitaries, government cabinet members, as well as high-ranking officials and officers from the Peoples National Army (ANP).
The Delegate Minister to the Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the Peoples National Army, Army General Said Chanegriha, delivered a keynote address during the commencement. In his speech, he paid tribute to the dedicated personnel of the armed forces.
“The graduation events at the Academy harmonize with national celebrations marking Independence Day and the restoration of state sovereignty,” Said Chanegriha pointed out.
According to him, this timing “demonstrates our unwavering pledge to preserve the legacy of our national history, which is rich in epic triumphs and heroic deeds. It allows us to draw from this high morale, granting the Peoples National Army the resolve to continue our victorious path, following the footprint of our brave ancestors in the National Liberation Army who pioneered the road to freedom through extreme physical sacrifice.”
He added: “Treading the path of our noble predecessors, the personnel of the Peoples National Army, guided by the leadership of the President of the Republic, are advancing their victorious journey.”
Said Chanegriha maintained that these service members “spared no effort, even offering the ultimate sacrifice” to safeguard “the State, its constitutional framework, and its democratic foundation.”
The Army General emphasized that the armed forces, “at the cost of massive sacrifices, successfully defeated brutal terrorism, eradicated its foreign ideology, and thwarted its destructive ambitions.”
This threat, he continued, “could have dismantled the very core of our sovereign nation if not for the steadfast determination of our valiant military and courageous security agencies.”
The ceremony featured an impressive display of strength, including drills and combat simulations executed by ground, air, and naval units, showcasing the advanced preparation, precision, and operational skills of the military personnel.
Various martial arts demonstrations were also presented. Attendees observed a drill carried out by a combined unit of students from the Cherchell Military Academy, alongside aerial formations by fighter jets and combat helicopters, an in-flight refueling maneuver, and parachute drops.
Offshore, naval forces conducted a simulation involving the tracking and interception of a suspicious vessel during a maritime interdiction operation.
As a reminder, on Thursday, the Chief of Staff of the Peoples National Army, Army General Said Chanegriha, visited the facility, where he highlighted the absolute necessity of mastering modern warfare technologies, specifically drones, artificial intelligence, and cyber defense.