Morocco-Algeria Border Opens Briefly to Repatriate 52 Detained Moroccan Migrants

The Algerian authorities handed over on Monday to their Moroccan counterparts 52 young Moroccan migrants who were candidates for irregular migration through the Zouj Bghal border post, which was opened exceptionally, according to a statement from the Association for Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants (AEMSV). These repatriated Moroccan migrants are from the cities of Fez, Meknes, Oujda, Azilal, Taza, Taounate, Ouarzazate, Demnate, El Jadida, Berrechid, Tangier and Mdiq and had served their sentences in various Algerian prisons. Some had served more than three years and six months in prison, in addition to one year of administrative detention, the same source specifies.

Hundreds of young people are still in administrative detention awaiting repatriation, as well as a number of detainees in custody, the association said, noting that this operation is facing "several technical and procedural difficulties that it is trying to resolve". AEMSV also states that it currently has more than 400 files of detainees and several bodies, including two young girls from the eastern region, whose families are awaiting their release and return, like the other bodies for which it has previously facilitated the legal and administrative procedures.