Alfa Group, owner of VimpelCom, has offered to buy out other investors in Egypt-based Orascom Telecom Holding SAE (ORTE), a unit of the world’s sixth-largest mobile operator, while at the same time the Algerian government also fights for control of the company. The dispute  between VimpelCom and the Algerian government has been ongoing since 2008.

VimpelCom already owns 51.9 percent of Orascom Telecom (News - Alert) Holding through Wind Telecom, while Altimo holds 47.9 percent of VimpelCom.

VimpelCom is one of the world’s largest integrated telecommunications services operators providing voice and data services through a range of traditional and broadband mobile and fixed technologies in Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Laos, Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, the Central African Republic and Canada.

VimpelCom Ltd. is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Altimo, a unit of Alfa Group with an indirect interest in Orascom, is offering 70 cents a share for the Cairo-based operator, valuing the company at about $3.67 billion, the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority said.

Altimo’s VimpelCom acquired control of Orascom in 2011. The company is seeking to end an ownership conflict with the Algerian government, which has been trying to buy out VimpelCom.

VimpelCom is seeking to keep operating control and the right to consolidate its Algerian unit Djezzy, held by Orascom, while the local government aims to acquire a 51 percent stake. The dispute has included the Algerian government levying a $1.3 billion fine on Orascom, for example.

Ownership disputes are not uncommon in the global communications, or any other business. On these shores, the long-running disagreement between Verizon (News - Alert) Communications and Vodafone over the conduct of the Verizon Wireless business is just one example.