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Denver- King Mohammed VI has expressed his deep sorrow in a message on Thursday August 12, following reports of a series of ongoing deadly wildfires in Algeria.
The king expressed Morocco’s solidarity with Algeria, as civil workers continued to battle the blaze. The latest reports indicate at least 60 people have been killed in the wildfires, including several members of the Algerian military. Local media report at least a dozen soldiers remain in critical condition due to injuries sustained while fighting the fires.
On Wednesday, King Mohammed VI directed government officials to prepare emergency relief elements to help Algeria respond to the fires, however the Algerian government has not responded to the offer. According to government officials, two Moroccan Canadair CL-45 firefighting aircraft are prepared to assist Algeria pending approval from Algeria’s government.
In King Mohammed VI’s message today, he expressed empathy for the Algerian president and the Algerian people for the “cruel losses” sustained during the natural disaster. He also wished for the “speedy recovery” of injured Algerians.
Although Morocco and Algeria share a rocky relationship due to political and territorial disagreements, King Mohammed VI recently stated his desire to mend ties with Morocco’s eastern neighbor. During a statement in late July, King Mohammed VI expressed his wish for open borders between the two countries, stating that it should “be the norm.”
Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has yet to respond to King Mohammed VI’s peace offerings, or to his offer of emergency aid.
Relations between the two countries hit a relative low point this year, after Morocco accused the Algerian government of facilitating the transport of Polisario leader Brahim Ghali to and from Spain for medical treatments. Shortly after the affair, Algeria recalled its ambassador to Morocco, and ceased the majority of its diplomatic communications with the country.
