Three French-Moroccan tourists and a Moroccan were sailing off the coast of Saidia on a jet ski when they ran out of fuel. As the sun set, the four became disoriented and entered Algerian waters. A semi-rigid ship of the Algerian Coast Guard approached and after a brief exchange shots rang out. Two of the tourists were killed and a third was detained by Algiers authorities. The fourth managed to escape and was found by a Moroccan patrol, who reported to the media what had happened.
Tuesday’s incident has not yet been officially commented on by Morocco and Algeria, two countries that have not had diplomatic relations since 2021 but have turned their backs for many years due to the status of Western Sahara. Rabat claims sovereignty over the territory and Algiers is the Sahrawi’s main ally. The border between the two neighboring countries has been closed since 1994. In July, King Mohamed VI of Morocco expressed his willingness to reopen the border and resume relations. Israel’s recognition of “Morocco’s sovereignty” over Western Sahara, however, was another blow, with Algeria denouncing “a flagrant violation of international law.”
Source: DN
