Algiers is holding its breath. The sudden death of Boualem Boualem, chief of staff to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of power in Algiers, where official silence has only fueled speculation.
The presidency’s statement, released in the evening, offered little more than praise for « a man of law who served the state and the nation, » without specifying the cause or circumstances of his death. Such reticence, unusual for a figure so close to the head of state, quickly set social media ablaze, with his name trending within hours.
Among those challenging the official narrative, political analyst Abderrahim Minar Aslimi has been the most vocal. He claims Boualem Boualem was shot dead by three masked men, who also killed his driver. The analyst links the killing to rising tensions between the aide and army chief of staff Said Chengriha, alleging that Boualem held recordings concerning sensitive military affairs. He goes further, claiming a presidential decree to remove General Chengriha was being drafted at the time of the killing.
Journalist Amir Boukhriss has raised separate doubts about the timeline. He notes that Boualem had recently undergone medical treatment in Belgium and then Switzerland, and that, the night before his death was announced, he reportedly messaged his son on WhatsApp to reassure him that he was recovering well. Hours later, the presidency announced his passing.
Algerian authorities have neither confirmed nor denied these competing accounts, and the contradictions underscore the nervousness surrounding Tebboune’s inner circle at a time when foreign capitals are watching closely for signs of instability within the regime. No official investigation has been announced so far, and the El Mouradia palace remains silent on the very questions its own brief statement has inadvertently deepened.
Algeria’s chronic opacity about the health and security of its top officials is nothing new. Succession battles and clan rivalries at the summit of the state have long been among the most closely guarded secrets of the Algerian system, and this latest episode is unlikely to change that.
