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Rabat – An Algerian news website is crying foul at a “smear campaign” against Algeria after France and Canada issued travel advisory notices warning their citizens about risk levels in the North African country.
On Sunday, the Algerian news outlet La Sentinelle said in a news report that the Canadian and French governments’ travel warnings indicate a “smear campaign targeting Algeria.”
The Canadian government updated its advisory notice on Algeria on August 3, urging Canadian passengers to exercise a “high degree of caution” when traveling to the North African country.
In addition to COVID restrictions, the travel notice notably warned Canadian citizens against traveling to some Algerian provinces including Adrar, El Oued, Ouargala, as well as Tindouf.
“There are armed groups operating in these areas, there is also a threat of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping,” the statement noted.
But the advice did not sit well with the Algerian media, which linked the Canadian update to a similar notice from the French government.
One day before the Canadian statement, France had warned its citizens of travel risks associated with Algeria, urging potential French travelers to the North African country to exercise high vigilance because of security risks like attacks or kidnappings.
“The risk of attack [is] being high, French residents or those passing through abroad are called upon to exercise maximum vigilance,” the French Foreign Ministry said in an advisory notice, urging French citizens and residents to stay away from any gatherings while in Algeria.
In response, La Sentinelle wrote that France and Canada are painting a misleadingly “gloomy picture of the situation supposedly prevailing in Algeria” to punish the North African country for signaling its desire to join the BRICS club.
The warnings issued by Paris and Ottawa paint “a picture that bears no resemblance to the current real conditions and which depicts Algeria as a country undermined by the risks of insecurity linked to terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and violence against women,” the news outlet wrote.
Noting that Canada’s update came shortly after a similar notice from the French government, La Sentinelle argued that both moves point to an organized campaign aimed at “tarnishing Algeria’s image.”
The news outlet concluded: “What game could Paris and Ottawa be playing? It is clear that Algeria is very disturbing to the highest degree and this campaign purses the vain objective of thwarting the ambitions of our country as it seeks to become a major player on the global stage.”
