Morocco Recalls Ambassador Amid Escalating Tensions with Algeria

According to the Official Bulletin published on December 30, 2021, Morocco has terminated the functions of the Moroccan ambassador to Algeria, Lahcen Abdel Khaleq, as of December 14. Relations between Rabat and Algiers have deteriorated sharply in recent months.

Algeria cut ties with Morocco on August 24, 2021. Algiers notably blames Rabat for the support of Omar Hilale, Morocco’s permanent representative to the United Nations, for the "valiant Kabyle people", the statements of the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs during his historic visit to Rabat, past incidents, such as the desecration of the Algerian flag at the Casablanca consulate in 2013 or the Sahara issue.

On September 22, Algeria took another extreme measure against Morocco. It closed its airspace to Moroccan civilian and military aircraft and those with a Moroccan registration number. Since then, the eastern neighbor has multiplied verbal attacks against the kingdom.