The Algerian government has launched a plan to protect the oil and gas facilities against potential terrorist acts.

The plan consists of hiring 22,000 guards and spending $400 million on the security systems in the infrastructure of oil and gas.

Chief Executive Officer at state-owned Sonatrach Group Toufik Hakkar revealed on Monday some of the plan’s details during a meeting in Algiers attended by officials from the Ministry of National Defense on the 10th anniversary of a terrorist attack that targeted a gas facility. 

In 2013, a militant group staged an attack on the Tiguentourine gas processing facility in southern Algeria, killing dozens of people, including foreigners.

Hakkar affirmed that Sonatrach has endorsed a new strategy to protect, along with the authorities, the vital facilities of energy in the country.

He stressed the ongoing cooperation between the group and the army as well as the security forces to protect the energy facilities, industrial sites, and oil pipelines that span 22,000 kilometers.

Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab highlighted during the meeting the significance of exchanging expertise in terms of industrial safety with partners from various sectors, especially since the operations of sabotage have escalated in the past years.

Arkab lauded the “effective and decisive role” played by the army to protect public and private facilities and properties.