Algeria Arrests 61 Moroccans Over Sabotage Suspicions

Algerian authorities say they have arrested 61 Moroccan nationals suspected of planning acts of sabotage, escalating tensions between the North African neighbours.

Suspects Accused of Plotting Sabotage

Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security said Sunday that the arrests were linked to what it described as an international Moroccan criminal network. Those detained reportedly include a former Moroccan army soldier and allegedly entered Algeria through mountain trails from neighbouring Tunisia. Algerian authorities accused the suspects of preparing actions intended to undermine national security and public order. The allegations have heightened tensions between the two countries, although further details about the alleged plot were not provided in the report.

Western Sahara Dispute Fuels Tensions

Relations between Algeria and Morocco have been strained for decades by their competing positions on Western Sahara, a mineral-rich former Spanish colony that the United Nations considers a non-self-governing territory. Morocco has controlled most of the territory for nearly five decades and considers it part of its sovereign territory. Algeria, meanwhile, supports the Polisario Front, which campaigns for Sahrawi self-determination and independence.

Diplomatic Relations Remain Severed

The land border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994. In 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Rabat, further deepening the longstanding dispute. Tensions have also been affected by international efforts to resolve the Western Sahara conflict. In May, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution backing Morocco’s autonomy proposal, describing genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as a potentially feasible solution to the decades-long dispute.