Rabat – The Moroccan Association for Citizenship and Human Rights has expressed its strong condemnation of the fatal shooting of two Moroccan-French nationals by Algerian coast guards on Tuesday.
In a statement released on Friday, the NGO labeled the incident as a complete violation of international law and a “heinous breach” of the Geneva Convention concerning the protection of civilians.
The attack reportedly took place when a group of young Moroccan men were on a jet-ski excursion in Saidia waters when they became disoriented and inadvertently strayed into Algerian waters.
It was in this context that Algerian coast guards allegedly opened fire on the French-Moroccan tourists, leading to the tragic death of two of them.
The NGO underlined that Algerian authorities violated several fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including the principles of “humanity, proportionality, military necessity, discrimination, and protection.”
The statement also pointed to what it described as the “aggressive policy” of the Algerian military regime, criticizing its “hate-filled campaigns and calls for escalation against Morocco, both its government and its citizens.”
The NGO argued that this hostility has directly resulted in the “cold-blooded assassination of Moroccan civilians,” constituting a clear act of aggression.
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In light of the tragic incident, the association stressed the urgent need to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions, warning that the incident “threatens peace and stability in the region.”
In addition, the NGO emphasized its intention to “take all necessary legal actions at the national and international levels, including addressing the Secretary-General of the United Nations regarding this assassination.”
It also urged the Moroccan government to take all necessary legal measures in accordance with international humanitarian law.
As of now, neither Morocco nor Algeria has issued any public statements concerning the incident.
During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Moroccan government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas was asked about the government’s planned response to the tragic incident. In his response, Baitas insisted that the case “falls under the jurisdiction of the judicial authority.”
Meanwhile, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed today the death of a French national and the incarceration of another in Algeria in an incident involving several French citizens, AFP reported.
While the ministry did not reveal specific details regarding the incident, reports suggest that it involves the tragic killing of two French-Moroccan nationals.
The incident has brought to the forefront the longstanding tensions between Morocco and Algeria and it is expected to further complicate the two nations’ already strained relations.
