Algerian President Claims Morocco Helped Cause Forest Fires in Algeria

Chairing an emergency meeting on recent developments in Algeria, President Tebboune accused Morocco of aiding groups suspected of starting the recent forest fires in Algeria.

lgerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held a meeting with political officials Wednesday to discuss several recent events that have impacted the country. 

Tebboune called the meeting to examine the “general situation of the country following the recent painful events and the ongoing hostilities” with Morocco, according to a press statement. The Algerian president instructed officials to continue investigating the perpetrators of the deadly forest fires that recently killed several dozen Algerians. 

So far, authorities have accused the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (MAK) and the Rachad political movements of starting the fires. 

Algeria also levelled accusations against Morocco, accusing the kingdom of providing “support and assistance” to MAK members to ignite  the fires. In addition to the farfetched and unfounded  claims, Tebboune urged the Algerian political officials to review “relations between the two countries,” while simultaneously strengthening “security monitoring on [Algeria’s] western borders.”

Tebboune also ordered the government to purchase six firefighting aircraft to help combat future wildfires. During the recent fires, Algeria was noticeably lacking in proper firefighting equipment, and volunteers were reportedly forced to combat the massive blazes with shovels and bare hands. 

Many have criticized Algeria’s actions and false claims against Morocco. Algerian journalist Oualid Kebir  described Tebboune’s claims as “fallacious,” and accused the Algerian regime of being “in a state of confusion and total bankruptcy.” Algeria has yet to provide proof to back its claims of Morocco’s involvement in its wildfires to any degree.

Kebir  also argued Algeria’s claims “does not serve the Maghreb region” and are detrimental for bilateral relations between Morocco and Algeria. 

President Tebboune’s claims come on the heels of constant Moroccan action for reconciliation and “a frank dialogue” with Algeria. 

In his Throne Day speech late last month, King Mohammed VI once again extended an olive branch to Algeria, describing the country as Morocco’s “twin brother” and calling for genuine de-escalation and dialogue.

Last week, amid raging flames after forest fires erupted in central Algeria, the King instructed the government to mobilize two firefighting aircrafts to fly to Algeria’s aid. 

But the Algerian government ignored Morocco’s gesture of good will, and observers interpreted Algeria’s conspicuous silence over Morocco’s offer as a sign that Algiers is not remotely close to letting go of the entrenched, decades-long hostility between the two neighbors.   

With President Tebboune’s latest claims, it appears the Algerian government continues to regard Morocco as its enemy, something that experts say continues to promote instability in the Maghreb region.

After months of using the Morocco-Israel rapprochement to falsely accuse Rabat of sponsoring regional instability, the Algerian president's latest finger-pointing remarks echo the Algerian regime's long-standing strategy of fixating on Morocco's perceived hostility to make up for its own tenuous legitimacy at home.

This means Algiers' constant Morocco-bashing is mainly a diversionary policy driven by the need to camouflage the government's policy failures and other shortcomings by rallying the public around a third party presented as an existential threat.

Source: Morocco World News.