Chief of Staff of the People's National Army

The Chief of Staff of People's National Army (Arabic: رئيس أركان الجيش الوطني الشعبي, romanized: Raʾīs ʾArkān al-Ǧayš al-Waṭanī al-Šaʿbī; French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée nationale populaire) is the highest position in the Algerian People's National Army. It was left empty for many years after Chief of Staff Tahar Zbiri staged a coup attempt against President Houari Boumédiène.

Chief of Staff of the People's National Army
رئيس أركان الجيش الوطني الشعبي Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée nationale populaire
Incumbent Army general Saïd Chengriha since 23 December 2019
Ministry of National Defense
Type	Chief of staff
Reports to	Minister of National Defense
Seat	Algiers
Appointer	President of Algeria
Formation	4 March 1964
First holder	Colonel Tahar Zbiri
Website	Official website

The current chief of staff is Saïd Chengriha, who has served in the position in an acting capacity since the death of Ahmed Gaid Salah on 23 December 2019.

Chiefs of staff

No.	Portrait	Chief of Staff	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	Ref.
1		Zbiri, TaharColonel Tahar Zbiri (1929–2024)	4 March 1964	1 November 1967	3 years, 242 days	–	–
2		Belloucif, MostefaMajor general Mostefa Belloucif (1939–2010)	28 November 1984	22 November 1986	1 year, 359 days	Algerian Land Forces	–
3		Belhouchet, AbdellahMajor general Abdellah Belhouchet (1924–2003)	22 November 1986	16 November 1988	1 year, 360 days	Algerian Land Forces	–
4		Nezzar, KhaledMajor general Khaled Nezzar (1937–2023)	16 November 1988	25 July 1990	1 year, 251 days	Algerian Land Forces	–
5		Guenaizia, AbdelmalekBrigadier general (when appointed) Major general (since 1991) Abdelmalek Guenaizia (1936–2019)	25 July 1990	10 July 1993	2 years, 350 days	Algerian Air Force	[1]
6		Lamari, MohamedLieutenant general Mohamed Lamari (1939–2012)	10 July 1993	3 August 2004	11 years, 24 days	Algerian Land Forces	[2]
7		Salah, AhmedMajor general (when appointed) Lieutenant general (since 2006) Ahmed Gaid Salah (1940–2019)	3 August 2004	23 December 2019 †	15 years, 142 days	Algerian Land Forces	[3]
–		Chengriha, SaïdMajor general Saïd Chengriha (born 1945) Acting	23 December 2019	3 July 2020	193 days	Algerian Land Forces	[4]
8		Chengriha, SaïdLieutenant general (when promoted) General officer (since 2022) Saïd Chengriha (born 1945)	3 July 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 315 days	Algerian Land Forces	[5]