The Special Intervention Group (French: Groupe d'Intervention Spécial, GIS) is a special forces group created in Algeria in 1987, initially with 300 members.
In addition to the commando-style typical training course of Western forces like the French COS and the Russian Spetnaz they also received training on specialized topics like tactical intervention from the GIGN, RAID, SWAT and Spetnaz Alpha Group.
Since 1992, these forces have existed within the context of violent confrontation between the Algerian government and Islamic militants; major human rights violations against civilians have been alleged against both sides. A resulting arms embargo against Algeria initially prevented the GIS from obtaining equipment such as night-vision goggles typical for such units. However, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, western matériel vendors were allowed to sell equipment to Algeria in the name of the international War on Terrorism, which co-operation had been requested by Algeria since 1992.
|
Famous quotes containing the words special, intervention and/or group:
“We cannot set aside an hour for discussion with our children and hope that it will be a time of deep encounter. The special moments of intimacy are more likely to happen while baking a cake together, or playing hide and seek, or just sitting in the waiting room of the orthodontist.”
—Neil Kurshan (20th century)
“All of the assumptions once made about a parent’s role have been undercut by the specialists. The psychiatric specialists, the psychological specialists, the educational specialists, all have mystified child development. They have fostered the idea that understanding children and promoting their intellectual well-being is too complex for mothers and requires the intervention of experts.”
—Elaine Heffner (20th century)
“No other group in America has so had their identity socialized out of existence as have black women.... When black people are talked about the focus tends to be on black men; and when women are talked about the focus tends to be on white women.”
—bell hooks (b. c. 1955)