Algerian Revolution, source of inspiration for Mandela

During his visit to Morocco in 1961, Nelson Mandela "spent several days" with the representative of the Provisional Government of Algerian Government (GPRA), Dr Chawki Mostefai, who initiated him to the different stages of the Algerian Revolution.

Later, Mandela was invited to attend a military parade in honour of former president Ahmed Benbella after his release from prison.

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Photo taken in border town Oujda (Morocco) with Mohamed Lamari, Chérif Belkacem et Nourredine Djoudi. Lamari is regarded by many Algerians as the Algerian General with 'most blood on his hands'. He was one of the inner circle of Generals who overthrew the government in January 1992 to forestall the electoral victory of the Front Islamique du Salut (FIS).

Algeria, the "second home" Mandela

The photo with following text:
Nelson Mandela with (on his left) his instructor, the future General Chief of Staff Lamari of the Algerian army.

"The Algerian people, who boasts of having always been alongside Madiba and the people of South Africa, is associated with grief and never forget that Mandela, Algeria is his" second home "as he loved to repeat, "said Abdelaziz Bouteflika today in a message to President Jacob Zuma following the disappearance of Nelson Mandela, yesterday at the age of 95 years.  If everyone knows the hero of the struggle against apartheid, his history with Algeria remains little known.

Yet this is where Madiba, near Ahmed Ben Bella, received his first military training in 1961 with the representative of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic, Dr. Shawki Mostefai.  "He told us that this kind of war was not the goal of winning a military victory but to release the economic and political forces that would drop the enemy, says Mandela. Dr. Mustafa advised us not to neglect the political side of the war while organizing the military."  During his visit to Oujda, where he went to a combat unit of the National Liberation Army, he said: "At one point, I took a pair of binoculars and I saw French soldiers on the other side of the border. I admit that I expected to see consistent forces South African defense."

Between 1963 and 1990, Algeria's military training to members of the ANC while leading a diplomatic revolt against apartheid to the Organization of African Union and the UN.