Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, also Defense Minister, on Tuesday issued a decree to promote Fatma Boudouani to Major-General, the country's first female to reach this top rank at the National People's Army.

Algerian state-run television broadcast the promotion ceremony assured by Deputy Defense Minister, Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah at the Defense Ministry headquarters in upper Algiers on the eve of the celebration of the Independence Day in Algeria to be on July 5.

Fatma Boudouani is Defense Ministry's representative at the Steering Committee of the "5+5 Initiative". She was promoted to the rank of General on July 5, 2012.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2017)