Rabat – In yet another case of Algeria’s inhumane treatment of civilians in the Tindouf refugee camps, a violent clash broke out yesterday between residents of the camps and Algerian soldiers after a deadly incident in which the soldiers killed several civilians.
The altercation took place near the Gara Djebilet mine, southeast of Tindouf. According to reports, one man, identified as Sid Ahmed Belali, was killed, and nine others were injured, three of them critically.
A video circulating online shows protesters angrily protesting the deadly attack and threatening to move to Morocco, blaming the Algerian military for the brutal treatment of their families.
“Do you want us to go to Morocco? … You’re killing our children here in cold blood,” a civilian is heard crying out to Algerian soldiers. An Algerian soldier is then heard telling him, “Go!”
مشادات بين سكان مخيم الداخلة وعناصر من الجيش الجزائري بعد جريمة القتل المرتكبة من طرفهم في حق مدنيين عزل من سكان تلك المخيمات الواقعة قرب منجم غارا جبيلات جنوب شرق مدينة تندوف
كما تسمعون جيدا هدد سكان تلك المخيمات بالذهاب إلى المغرب وصبوا جام غضبهم على عناصر الجيش… pic.twitter.com/eWjIm0zsQI
— وليد كبير Oualid KEBIR 🇩🇿 (@oualido) April 9, 2025
Local authorities and media have been criticized for their lack of response, with calls for a formal investigation into the incident. Many urged the United Nations to take notice of the situation.
Algerian political analyst Oualid Kebir wrote to American Congressman and attorney Joe Wilson on X to express his deep concern about the incident. “This tragic event is yet another reminder of the dire reality endured by thousands of families who have been held for decades in these camps under harsh conditions, deprived of their most basic rights, and denied the freedom to express their will or return voluntarily to their homeland,” Kebir said.
He described the situation in the Tindouf camps as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the fundamental values of freedom and human dignity that we all uphold.”
Read also: Kidnapped Man Pleading for Help Sparks Concerns About Deteriorating Situation in Tindouf
Kebir, currently residing in Morocco, called on Wilson to use his influence to advocate for international access to the camps, protect the inhabitants, and hold those responsible for violations accountable.
The Tindouf refugee camps, under the control of the Polisario Front and supported by Algeria, have long been plagued by serious human rights violations.
These include restrictions on freedom of expression and political participation, with dissenting voices facing arbitrary arrests, detentions, and harsh treatment. In addition, movement within and outside the camps is tightly controlled.
Several NGOs exposed human rights violations in the Tindouf camps at the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council last month. They raised concerns about kidnappings, torture, child exploitation, and extrajudicial executions, as they called on the international community to act against these violations.
The human rights NGOs also criticized the impunity enjoyed by the Polisario Front and the role of Algerian authorities in perpetuating the situation. Activists Fatima Ezzahrae Zouhairi, Lemaadla Mohamed Salem Zrug, and El Fadel Braika provided testimonies regarding the severe conditions in the camps, particularly for women and children, and the forced recruitment of minors for military training.
