Background
Was born on February 27, 1931, at a village near Annaba.
Was born on February 27, 1931, at a village near Annaba.
Educated locally and then accepted by the French for officer training at St Maixent Military College, 30 miles west of Poitiers, France.
Virtually Defence Minister because President Boumedienne has not the time to run the ministry although he retains the title, Colonel Latreche is the effective administrator without a seat in the cabinet. An efficient officer with expertise in armoured cars and military aviation, he was trained in France and has spent time in Russia at the Soviet Military Academy. Although not a policy-maker nor a man with strong political views he is the person whom Boumedienne trusts with the military administration to ensure smooth relations between the army and the government.
Commissioned as second lieutenant, he quit the French army in 1958 to join the National Liberation Army (ALN) and was appointed to the general headquarters staff. Two years after independence he became divisional commander at Oran in 1964. Following a training course in the Soviet Union he was promoted Director of the Armoured Car Training Unit at Batna in 1966. His next assignment in 1968 was Director of Military Aviation, a post in which his talents as an organiser were very impressive. Having come to Boumedienne’s notice he was appointed to run the Ministry of Defence.
Has an organizational talents