Exceptionally and for humanitarian reasons opening the closed land borders between Morocco and Algeria

Yesterday, Thursday, the “Zog Bagal” border crossing between Algeria and Morocco was opened exceptionally, for the purpose of handing over the body of a young Moroccan man (29 years old) who had died on Algerian territory.

The head of the Migrant Aid Association, Hassan Ammari, stated that the deceased, who was from the Taza region, died about a week ago. The association, through its representative in Algeria and in cooperation with the Moroccan consulate in Algiers, was able to complete the necessary procedures to transport his body quickly.

In a statement to Hespress, Ammari highlighted that the young man in question was residing in the state of Guelma in northeastern Algeria, irregularly, with two of his brothers, and he practiced a craft there before he suffered a heart attack that caused his death.

Algeria severed its diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021, accusing Rabat of “hostile actions,” a decision that the Kingdom considered “completely unjustified.”

In October of the same year, Algeria stopped the flow of gas through pipelines to Spain that passed through Moroccan territory in the north of the country. Later, Moroccan aircraft were prevented from crossing Algerian airspace.

Tensions escalated between the two countries amid media exchanges and a war of words between the two countries. In March 2023, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that the rift between the two countries had reached the point of no return.