General of the Army Said Chanegriha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the ANP, supervised Tuesday, on the second day of his visit to the 2nd Military Region in Oran, a tactical exercise named “Saqr El-Moutawassit 2026” at the Western Naval Front level. The exercise was notably highlighted by a coastal defense missile firing that struck its target with high precision, marking a new milestone reached in mastering various weapon systems. This was detailed in a press release from the Ministry of National Defense (MDN).
This second day of General of the Army Said Chanegriha’s visit to the 2nd Military Region focused on conducting this tactical exercise, organized within the framework of “executing the combat preparation program for the 2026-2027 cycle.”
On this occasion, the Chief of Staff of the ANP met with executives and personnel of the Western Naval Front at the main naval base of Mers El-Kebir, where he delivered a guidance speech. He commended the units participating in this maneuver, emphasizing that “the noble goals toward which they work with perseverance justify the sustained efforts they deploy to accomplish their missions under optimal conditions.”
The General of the Army and his accompanying delegation monitored the various phases of the “Saqr El-Moutawassit 2026” exercise, which featured a coastal defense missile launch targeting a surface objective. The MDN highlighted that “the exercise was completed with full success, as the maritime target was destroyed with high precision.”
This operation represents “a fresh outcome of the efforts invested in mastering diverse weapon systems and equipment by the crews,” specified the MDN. It also demonstrates the “level of development and operational readiness attained by Naval Forces units over recent years.”
At the Mers El-Kebir primary naval base, the ANP Chief of Staff was received by Major General Mahfoud Benmeddah, Commander of the Naval Forces. He subsequently reviewed a naval formation comprising floating units that rendered honors.
Accompanied by the Commander of the 2nd Military Region, Chanegriha attended two presentations in the conference hall, delivered respectively by the Commander of the Naval Forces and the Commander of the Western Naval Front. These briefings detailed “the general concept and execution phases of the exercise,” according to the same source.
Furthermore, the General of the Army stressed the crucial dimension of national coastline surveillance missions and shielding the country against various threats attempting entry by sea. He additionally insisted on maintaining the relentless fight against “undocumented migration and illegal trafficking of all drug types.”
On this final point, the phenomenon has become “particularly concerning” and “requires a firm response to protect society from its harms and fallout,” stated the MDN communique.
Based on the provided disclosures, this second day of the visit concluded with an assessment of the Naval Forces’ operational capabilities, primarily regarding coastal defense, national maritime domain surveillance, and the suppression of illegal activities.