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Algeria has held Morocco responsible for a recent drone strike on the disputed region of Western Sahara that claimed the lives of three Algerian truck drivers.
In a statement released on November 3, the Algerian Presidency described the unpresented incident as a “cowardly murder with sophisticated weaponry.”
“On November 1, 2021, while the Algerian people celebrate in joy and serenity the 67th anniversary of the outbreak of the glorious Revolution, three (03) Algerian nationals were cowardly murdered in a barbaric bombing of their trucks on the road linking Nouakchott to Ouargla, while they were in a natural movement of trade between the peoples of the region,” the statement reads. “several factors point to Morocco’s occupation forces in Western Sahara as having committed with sophisticated weaponry this cowardly murder. This brutal aggressiveness is characteristic of a known policy of territorial expansion and terror.”
The Algerian Presidency went on to stress that the murder of the three Algerian citizens in the Western Sahara “will not go unpunished”.
#Algeria. The government has formalized the death of 3 #Algerians in their trucks during a “barbaric bombing” on the #Nouakchott –#Ouargla axis. The Algerian presidency explained that there are “several factors that designate the #Moroccan occupation forces” in #WesternSahara. pic.twitter.com/ZqNYudic1N
— Donato Yaakov Secchi (@doyaksec) November 3, 2021
❗BREAKING: The Algeria accuses the Morocco of having bombed 3 three Algerian truckers that connect Nouakchott from the Mauritania, to Ouargla in Algeria. The truck drivers were reportedly killed in Bir Lahlou west of the Sahara 🇲🇦🇩🇿
– NDT News pic.twitter.com/c3HS66ch4h
— Francesco Comito (@FrancescComito) November 3, 2021
Morocco has already denied responsibility for the deadly incident. A senior Moroccan official claimed that the trucks were struck by landmines while moving weapons from Algeria to the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara.
The official accused Algeria of inciting against Morocco’s growing drone capabilities. The Royal Moroccan Air Force acquired several types of drones recently, including a number of Bayraktar TB2 combat drones from Turkey.
“Algeria wants to create a crisis over the Royal Armed Forces’ use of drones, which have upset the balance of power,” the unnamed source told the UAE-based al-Arabiya TV.
In October, Algeria and Morocco broke diplomatic ties due to new disagreements over the Western Sahara issue and accusations of espionage.
The two countries could be heading to a military confrontation in the Western Sahara. Morocco, who has been boosting its military capabilities, may use any response by Algeria as a pretext to launch a full-on operation against the Polisario. This would destabilize West and North Africa and threaten Europe.
