Algeria Condemns US-Morocco Military Drills in Disputed Western Sahara

Launched by the United States Africa Command on Monday, June 20 in Morocco, the Moroccan-American military exercise is taking place in Kenitra, Agadir, Taroudant, Tan Tan and Mahbès, a city in the Sahara. However, its extension to the Sahara is controversial. Amar Belani, the special envoy in charge of the Western Sahara and Maghreb countries dossier at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denounces a "gross manipulation concocted" by Morocco, reports TSA.

"We know for certain that not a single American soldier will set foot on occupied Sahrawi territory," he said, noting that official contacts have been established by Algeria with the American authorities. "On the other hand, [...] the Makhzen (Morocco, editor’s note) will organize for its own troops a part of the exercise on Sahrawi territory in order to falsely claim that the maneuvers cover the territory of Western Sahara. [...]," he added.

Since August 24, 2021, Algeria has severed its diplomatic relations with Morocco. On September 22 of the same year, it closed its airspace to Moroccan civilian and military aircraft and those with a Moroccan registration number. One of the points of friction between Rabat and Algiers remains the Sahara. While Morocco proposes an autonomy plan to resolve the dispute over the Sahara, the Polisario Front, protected by Algeria, continues to claim the independence of the territory.