Algeria Warns France Over Joint Military Drills with Morocco

The "Sharki 2025" exercise, the second of its kind, is set to begin in September, and seems to have added fuel to the already tense relations between the regime and the European country.

Rabat– Algeria has issued a warning to France regarding the upcoming joint military drills with Morocco, scheduled for September near the Algerian border.

The Algerian government has deemed the planned exercise a “provocative” action that they claim could exacerbate the already tense relations between the two nations.

According to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretary-General Lounes Magramane met with the French Ambassador to Algeria, Stephane Romatet, to discuss the French-Moroccan military maneuvers. Dubbed “Sharki 2025,” they are set to take place in the Rachidia region, close to Algeria’s southwestern border.

Magramane expressed Algeria’s concerns to the ambassador, warning that the exercises could escalate the existing crisis between the two countries. He stressed that such actions would further strain relations and potentially lead to more dangerous consequences.

The Algerian secretary general also called on France to clarify its position on the exercise, elevating the regime’s perceived risk it poses to regional stability. He requested that the ambassador convey Algeria’s concerns to the French government.

This warning is part of the growing diplomatic tensions between Algeria and France, fueled by various issues, including the 1968 migration agreement, recent comments from French officials regarding Algeria, and the regime’s refusal to cooperate on certain key consular issues.

The “Sharki 2025” exercise, marking the second of its kind, is set to begin on September 22, 2025, near Algeria’s southwestern border in Bechar.

The initial planning of the initiative occurred during a meeting at the French military inspection headquarters in Sale on May 22 and 23, 2024, with the goal of coordinating resources and equipment between the two countries.

Furthermore, a tentative date for the exercise has been scheduled for September 22, 2025. The training will take place in designated areas, including the Artillery Training Center (CTM) “Rahmat Allah” and “Afrido” in the Rachidia region, located less than 100 kilometers from Bechar.