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Join on Telegram Meknes – Algerian magazine Al Jaysh has accused Morocco of being involved, “in one way or another” in the forest fires that broke out in northern Algeria last month.
The magazine highlighted what it described as “Algeria’s exposure to malicious schemes,” referring to supposedly Morocco-masterminded plots to undermine its eastern neighbor.
The magazine claimed that organizations that traditionally oppose the Algerian regime, such as “terrorists organizations MAK and Rachad, are involved in a fierce war against Algeria.”
Al Jaysh then went on to claim, without providing any proof or details, that the Algerian government has “strong and documented link with the two” of Morocco’s collusion with MAK and Rachad to ignite the wildfires that raged through the whole Mediterranean region, including in Morocco, early last month.
Large parts of Algeria faced devastating wildfires in early August, with 71 blazes spread across 18 provinces, leaving at least 90 dead in addition to consuming natural landscape.
With the devastating scenes in northern Algeria, King Mohammed VI offered to help by instructing the Moroccan government to mobilize two firefighting planes and a relief team to fly to Algeria. But the Algerian government declined Rabat’s offer, instead preferring to receive paid assistance from France and Spain.
On August 18, barely a week after the disastrous wildfires, Algeria’s High Council of Security accused Morocco of having a hand in the forest fires. The country’s presidency then issued a statement announcing it was considering cutting diplomatic ties with Morocco.
On August 24, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry, Ramtane Lamamra, finally announced his country’s decision to sever ties with its western neighbor, citing unverified “facts” which he claimed documented a Moroccan-Israeli conspiracy against Algeria.
In response, Morocco’s Foreign Ministry rejected the Algerian government’s “unilateral and unexplained” decision to sever ties. However, Morocco also expressed its steady determination to commit to neighborliness and regional cooperation.
Several Arab and western countries have since urged Algeria and Morocco to engage in dialogue and de-escalate tensions.
