Algeria is conducting a vast disinformation campaign on social media targeting Morocco. The Sahara issue remains one of the points of friction between the two neighboring countries.
Political interference in African football is costing Algeria dearly. The Confederation of African Football (CAF ) has imposed heavy sanctions on it due to the cancellation of the first leg of the Confederation Cup semi-finals between the Moroccan club Renaissance de Berkane and the Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger, on Sunday, April 21, 2024, because of the jersey of the Atlas Lions containing a map of the kingdom integrating the Sahara. Other sanctions will certainly be taken in the coming days.
A special week in France. Strong winds coming from the Moroccan Sahara, accompanied by yellow dust, will hit the Hexagon from this Monday until Wednesday.
Morocco has acquired several state-of-the-art multipurpose light armored vehicles (HUMVEE) following the approval of the US Congress in February. These vehicles will be made available to the various corps of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and will be deployed on various fronts, particularly in the Sahara.
The match between Morocco and Algeria counting for the third day of the sixth edition of the Arab Youth Handball Championship under 17 years old did not take place on Tuesday at the covered hall of the Mohammed V sports complex in Casablanca. And for good reason, a discord over the jersey of the Atlas Lion Cubs emblazoned with the map of Morocco integrating the Sahara.
The diplomatic tug-of-war between Rabat and Algiers has shifted to the sports field with the cancellation of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals between the Moroccan club Renaissance de Berkane and the Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger, on Sunday, April 21, 2024, due to the jersey of the Atlas Lions containing a map of the kingdom integrating the Sahara.
After a long wait at Algiers’ Houari Boumediene airport due to the blocking by Algerian customs of its luggage including its jerseys containing a map of Morocco integrating the Sahara , the delegation of the Renaissance sportive de Berkane finally agreed on Friday to return to its hotel.
While they arrived in Algeria as part of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals, the players and staff of Renaissance sportive de Berkane have been "taken hostage" due to the jersey containing a map of Morocco including the Sahara.
The Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, Omar Hilale, firmly rebuked the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, who made erroneous statements about the Sahara and drew a parallel with Palestine, during a debate at the Security Council on "The role of youth in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean".
The Spanish government has confirmed that it has been engaged for two years in discussions with Morocco regarding the management of the airspace of the Sahara, assuring that these exchanges do not aim at a transfer of control of this airspace to Morocco.
The Moroccan club Renaissance de Berkane formally denied the information that Algeria had banned the entry of its jersey into its territory during its next match against Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger because of a map of Morocco including the Sahara.
Kenya’s announcement of the opening of an embassy in Rabat is causing concern for Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who has sent his Foreign Minister on an official visit to Nairobi. Algiers fears that its ally will abandon it on the Sahara issue.