Algeria-Morocco tensions: The onset of a regional cold war In reality, Morocco, playing on its Arab and Muslim membership on the one hand the Sherifian monarch being legitimate on the religious level acts as the EUs good pupil in the Maghreb by adhering to its principles and maintaining cordial relations with European countries. The troops provided training to the Algerians, and their medical team offered the population free healthcare. In previous times, for example, during the so-called War of the Sands in 1963, the war clashes in 1976, and in the 1980s in the midst of an armed confrontation between the Moroccan armed forces and the Polisario Front guerrillas, which resulted in thousands of deaths, wounded and prisoners, diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco were maintained. Rabat turns to US and French suppliers, while Algiers sticks with Russian-made military goods. [7] Moroccan losses were probably lower than the Algerians' but are unconfirmed,[6] with later sources reporting 200 Moroccan dead. [14] Tuat owed religious[15] and tributary allegiance to the Sultans of Morocco, although it was separated from both Algeria and Morocco by a largely uninhabited desert. So, it is quite a risky position to take.". For foreign chancelleries, there are no compelling reasons for the unilateral severance of diplomatic relations decreed by Algiers on 24 August. We believe that Africa is poorly represented, and badly under-estimated. [7], The Sand War laid the foundations for a lasting and often intensely hostile rivalry between Morocco and Algeria, exacerbated by the differences in political outlook between the conservative Moroccan monarchy and the revolutionary, Arab nationalist Algerian military government. [34] The troops were sent at the request of Ben Bella, though he would later deny this in 1997. For Mediterranean and Atlantic leaders, it wants to be the bridge of communication, information and understanding between cultures. (L to R) Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia, Hassan II, king of Morocco, Modibo Keita, president of Mali and Ahmed Ben Bella, president of Algeria, leaving African Unity summit in Addis Ababa. Morocco and Algeria: will there be war in 2022? Not a week goes by without the Front, systematically relayed by Algeria Press Service (APS), announcing an attack against the Moroccan defense wall, without it being possible to distinguish the part of reality and intoxication. [8] About 57 Moroccans and 379 Algerians were taken prisoner. This week, the difficult situation has been even further exacerbated, with Algeria ending the contract for a gas pipeline that runs via Morocco to deliver gas to Spain. [21], In 1956 France relinquished its protectorate in Morocco, which immediately demanded the return of the disputed departments, especially Tindouf. Medgaz was the backup plan. He recently taught cultural studies to Semester abroad students with AMIDEAST, IES and CIEE study abroad programs in Morocco insuring such courses as: Introduction to Moroccan Culture, Contemporary North African History, Arab Spring, Amazigh Culture, Moroccan Jewish Legacy, Community-Based Learning (internship with civil society organizations). Foreign chancelleries in the two capitals of the central Maghreb, Rabat and Algiers, are insistently questioning the possibility of war between Algeria and Morocco, which some believe could break out in 2022. But before this last step, there are others through which Algeria or Morocco defends its vital interests. [38] On October 29, Hassan and Ben Bella met to negotiate in Bamako, Mali, joined by Emperor Selassie and Mali's President Modibo Keta. Morocco-Algeria relations: What fuels the escalation? - DW During 2015 he worked as Program Director with the USAID/CHEMONICS educational project entitled: Reading for Success: A Small Scale Experimentation in cooperation with the Moroccan Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP). Could the situation descend into a full-blown conflict? The Western Sahara conflict. The warlike contest, if it were to take place, would be limited to the use of navy, aviation or ground defence to attack the adversary's positions from a distance. Source : wikipedia.org worlddata.infoGlobalfirepower================ About Morocco Army English :The Royal Moroccan Army (Arabic: Al-Quwwat al-Bariyah al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah, Standard Moroccan Tamazight: tasrdast tagldant) is the branch of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations.The Royal Moroccan Army is about 215,000 troops strong and consists of 195,000 professional soldiers and 20,000 conscripts. [25] These factors prompted Hassan to begin moving troops towards Tindouf. Please enable Javascript in order to access to this story. Rabat denied the accusations but Algiers demanded that the former provides evidence. Reduced to these realistic proportions, such a policy may seem feasible. For Algiers, this issue is a matter of decolonization and the prevalence of the right of peoples to self-determination, enshrined by the United Nations since its creation in 1945. However, the contract between Algeria's state-owned energy company Sonatrach and the Moroccan National Office for Energy and Potable Water (ONEE) ended without renewal in late October this year. The accumulation of crisis factors between the two countries, the arms race in which they are involved, and the contradictory and largely antagonistic interests of the two countries raise concerns and fears of a possible large-scale armed conflict in North Africa. The land border closed between the two countries since 1994, and the ongoing diplomatic war on the Western Sahara issue has been added to the case of the call for independence of Kabylia in recent months and the spectacular rapprochement of Morocco with Israel. The Western Sahara question has poisoned more than just Moroccan-Algerian relations. Morocco vs Algeria Military Comparison 2022 | Who Would Win? Algeria does the same, and talks with its allies that revolve largely around the Western Sahara issue, as well as negotiations with countries focused on the sale of hydrocarbons, gas and oil, are not at all affected by the crisis with Morocco. - Quora Such an action can basically defuse the tension between Morocco and Algeria and make this movement bear the brunt of mounting aggressivity in the region. October 1963: Algeria and Morocco confronted each other militarily over a border dispute in the so-called Sand War in October 1963 following Algeria's independence on July 5, 1962. The latter mentioned in particular stealth drones it is understood that they were supplied by Israel to Morocco which would have spread the fires in Kabylia. The two countries summoned each others ambassadors. Longer than expected shader compilation time when first launching THE LAST OF US Part I. This War Movie Was So Accurate, Guerrilla Movements Used It for Training Indeed, shortly after Algerian independence, tensions between the two countries rose. An aggravating circumstance in such a context was the statement by Yair Lapid, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Rabat on August 12, 2021, expressing his countrys concerns about Algeria because of its proximity to Iran. Though relations between the brotherly countries have never been without bumps in the road, Morocco and Algerias chilly ties have given way to open hostility over the past few months. Give yourself a headstart: Three factors contributed to the outbreak of this conflict: the absence of a precise delineation of the border between Algeria and Morocco, the discovery of important mineral resources in the disputed area, and the Moroccan irredentism fueled by the Greater Morocco[9] ideology of the Istiqlal Party and Allal al-Fassi.[10]. [34] The Cubans offloaded their equipment and transported it to the southwestern front by rail. Simply use the dropdowns below to select your global powers. o The media campaigns being waged in both countries, laden with accusations and insults, are more about the need to divert public attention from the real internal problems that exist in each country, caused by the effects of the pandemic, the growing socio-economic difficulties or the poor management of the economy, which is one hundred percent dependent on oil in the Algerian case, and on tourism and agriculture in the Moroccan case. Three deaths and a threat of armed conflict. The severance of diplomatic relations with Morocco announced on August 24, 2021, came against a backdrop of vulnerability for the Algerian regime, which has not stopped denouncing plots against Algeria since the Arab revolts of 2011. In Algeria, the armed rebellion of the FFS in Kabylie fizzled out, as commanders defected to join the national forces against Morocco. The sheer loss of life on all sides, from the French days on, the money that could have been spent on human needs, the hatred and civil anguish, all wasted, all down the toilet for nothing -- all the fears and predictions came to naught, and today Vietnam is a . [32] The Algerians attacked the town of Ich on October 18, enlarging the war to the North. Algerians, who are generally not very receptive to the bellicose rhetoric of the two regimes, did not appreciate the December 2020 restoration of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel in exchange for Donald Trumps recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. READ MORE This year's AU could work to Morocco's advantage over Western Sahara. who would win a war between morocco and algeria. Proof of the high level of tension around this issue is that the two neighbors closed their borders in 1994 for security reasons. Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra announced the severing of diplomatic relations with Morocco over what he termed as successive aggressive steps. King Hassan II of Morocco visited Algiers in March 1963 to discuss the undefined borders, but Algeria's President Ahmed Ben Bella believed the matter should be resolved at a later date. The 10% cut of energy supply is a setback for Morocco as well, since the country has to import about 95% of its energy. But another debate that MANY have debated was that of Madara vs Aizen, and now . The Western Sahara crisis continues to poison relations between the two states. Only the last of these leads to the outbreak of hostilities, because once the machinery of war has been set in motion, turning back becomes very difficult, if not impossible. Countries similar in appearance but heterogeneous in fact. In the absence of a positive and appropriate response from Rabat to these actions, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had recalled its ambassador in Rabat for consultation with immediate effect pending the taking of other possible measures depending on the evolution of this case and in particular the position of Morocco on this particularly dangerous drift. [4] In case of war or state of siege, an additional force of 150,000 Reservists[citation needed] and paramilitary forces, including 24,000 regulars of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie and 30,000 Auxiliary Forces come under the Ministry of Defense command.. About Morocco Army Arabic :The Royal Moroccan Army (Arabic: ) . 215 195 20 . After Morocco became a French protectorate in 1912, the French administration set borders between the two territories, but these tracks were often misidentified (Varnier line in 1912, Trinquet line in 1938), and varied from one map to another,[19] since for the French administration these were not international borders and the area was virtually uninhabited. [40] The attack was denounced and dramatized by the Moroccan Government. In the event of a balance, as is currently the case, neither will dare to take the first step. [26], The Algerian military, recently formed from the guerrilla ranks of the FLN's Arme de Libration Nationale (ALN), was still oriented towards asymmetric warfare, and had few heavy weapons. About: GlobalFirepower.com is an annually-updated, statistics-based website tracking defense-related information of 145 nations and exists as a wholly-independent resource. These developments were all it took for both countries media outlets to launch into virulent and often insulting smear campaigns against the opposing side. You can follow Professor Mohamed Chtatou on Twitter: @Ayurinu, 2023 The Times of Israel , All Rights Reserved. Incorrect password. Algiers denounced on August 18, 2021, the incessant hostile acts perpetrated by Morocco against Algeria. Military doctrine in both countries is based on the consideration that "in order to carry weight on the international geopolitical stage, it is necessary to have modern, high-quality armed forces". When Spain left, Morocco annexed Western Sahara and encouraged thousands of Moroccans to settle there. The Algerian and Moroccan militaries rank second and fifth in Africa, respectively, and shell out dizzying sums to acquire the latest equipment. Timeline: Algeria and Morocco's diplomatic disputes The situation is now more complex with the emergence of the POLIS ARIO Front in Spanish Sahara. Even in regions where Ben Bella's regime remained deeply unpopular, such as Kabylie, the population offered to take up arms against the Moroccan invaders. [40] However, a Malian officer arrived on November 4 and enforced the Bamako Accord, ending the hostilities. Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. In Algiers, this is not far from being considered a declaration of war. In the case of UNFP, its leader, Mehdi Ben Barka, sided with Algeria, and was sentenced to death in absentia as a result. Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world And that the careers of Algerian and Moroccan security officials, some of whom were recently appointed, are marked by the Sahrawi question and therefore by antagonism with the neighbor. Blinken Plays With Fire With Morocco and Algeria. Can Trump Stop This The Polisario Front fought a long war against Morocco to win the independence of the disputed Western Saharan territory. But Algeria's president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has already warned Morocco that "their killings will not go unpunished,"as the state news agency APS reports. No official source takes a clear position on the military crusade, either for or against. ", This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 21:49. The Western Sahara conflict. Beyond the vast opportunity manifest in African markets, we highlight people who make a difference; leaders turning the tide, youth driving change, and an indefatigable business community. Morocco vs Algeria Military Comparison 2022 | Who Would Win?Morocco vs Algeria military power comparison 2022Algeria vs Morocco military power comparisonAlgeria vs Morocco military comparisonAlgeria vs Morocco military power Morocco military power comparison 2022 Algeria military power comparison 2022Algeria vs Morocco army power military power comparison 2022 Morocco vs Algeria military power 2022Morocco vs AlgeriaWorld Military Loop Algeria vs MoroccoAlgeria vs Morocco MilitaryAlgeria vs Morocco military power Morocco military power comparison 2022Algeria military power comparison 2022#Morocco#Algeria#military#millitary_Comparison#millitaryComparison Then, these tensions crystallized around the Western Sahara conflict following Algiers support for the Polisario Front, which claims independence for the territory disputed between Polisario and Morocco. Please try again or choose an option below. [28] The Algerian army had ordered a large number of AMX-13 light tanks from France in 1962,[29] but, at the time of the fighting, only twelve were in service. Algeria also protested against a court ruling that sentenced the man accused of burning the flag to two months in prison. Highlights Support for: STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor Fixed Issues Red corruption may occur in World War Z: Aftermath when using the Vulkan API. The Sand War laid the foundations for a lasting and often intensely hostile rivalry between Morocco and Algeria, exacerbated by the differences in political outlook between the conservative Moroccan monarchy and the revolutionary, Arab nationalist Algerian military government. He invaded the country in 1963. Although Rabat is more open to dialogue than its neighbour Algiers, mediation is at a standstill. Get full access to The Africa Report on all your devices. This period had an impact on Algerian politics, which perceived Europe as a neo-colonialist threat. List of wars involving Morocco and the former entities that ruled the current Morocco. The killing of thethree drivers on a desert road is the latest peak in a series ofgrowing tensionsbetween the two Maghreb states that support opposite sides of the dispute over the Western Sahara territory, a former Spanish colony. It was also notable for ushering in the first multinational peacekeeping mission carried out by the Organisation of African Unity. Marinid Sultanate (1244-1465) [ edit] Wattasid Sultanate (1472-1554) [ edit] Saadi Sultanate (1510-1659) [ edit] Alaouite Sultanate (1668-1912) [ edit] Kingdom of Morocco (1956-present) [ edit] References [ edit] ^ Mrini, Driss; Alaoui, Ismal (1997). The Supreme Security Council in Algeria, headed by Tebboune, accused Morocco of continuing with its hostile acts and called for bilateral relations to be reviewed and security monitoring on the western borders to be tightened. READ MORE Morocco/Algeria : Tensions on the rise after Algerian show mocks the King. In their three previous meetings this season, the Warriors won twice. Thus, the tone rises again between the North African brothers who have historically always maintained a stormy relationship. Algeria has been using the Gaz-Maghreb-Europe pipeline (GME) for the past 25 years to deliver natural gas to Spain and Portugal via Morocco. The conflict was a Cold War theater: Algeria was . o Neither country has a fifth column within the enemy. [5] Morocco's invasion proved to be a diplomatic blunder, as the other Arab and African states refused to recognize its border claims. It was, therefore, disinclined to support Morocco's historical claims to Tindouf and Bechar or the concept of a Greater Morocco. Moreover, Morocco is one of the Unions main partners throughout the Mediterranean. Rabat turns to US and French suppliers, while Algiers sticks with Russian-made military goods. [26] The Moroccans were determined to adjust the border, which the Algerians would not allow, resulting in an impasse. On the Moroccan side, Rabat denied such baseless allegations and declared that it has undertaken to sue the consortium behind the investigation for defamation before the criminal court in Paris. Since the evacuation in mid-November by Moroccan forces of the Guerguerat crossing, blocked for several weeks by Sahrawi independence fighters, it is again, if one is to believe the latter, war between Rabat and the Polisario. Get your free PDF by completing the following form. (1954-1962). ( ) .================COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976 Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for \"fair use\" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. It resulted largely from the Moroccan government's claim to portions of Algeria's Tindouf and Bchar provinces. [23], During the Algerian War, Morocco backed the National Liberation Front, Algeria's leading nationalist movement, in its guerrilla campaign against the French. Even the Front des Forces Socialistes(FFS), the oldest opposition party in Algeria, recalls that the unity of Algeria is a red line that no one can cross under any pretext, and that Kabylia is an integral part of the land of Algeria and states that this is a desperate attempt to strike at the unity of Algeria and sow discord among the Algerian people united and proud. Algerian Foreign Minister Lamtane Lamamras vehement condemnation was then accompanied by a tacit threat about the risk of the Moroccan monarchy facing a separatist claim in the Rif, an Amazigh/ Berber-speaking region in northern Morocco in recurrent conflict with the central government. Moroccan activism, Algerian tension The Algerian government is taking this case particularly seriously since it is firmly opposed to any desire for independence from Kabylia, an Amazigh/ Berber-speaking region in northeast Algeria. Progress on the issue has been at a standstill ever since Morocco and the Polisario Front signed a cease-fire agreement in 1991, but Rabat recently scored a few diplomatic wins, such as the United States' move to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the territory in late 2020. Dr. Mohamed Chtatou is a Professor of MENA region area studies at Universit Internationale de Rabat -UIR- and of Education at Universit Mohammed V in Rabat, as well. [4] Although they were initially described as an advisory contingent to train the Algerian army, Fidel Castro also authorized their deployment in combat actions to safeguard Algeria's territorial integrity. After Moroccan forces carried out an operation to drive Sahrawi separatists out of the Guerguerat crossing point in mid-November, as the rebel group had blocked access to the area, Sahrawi fighters are once again saying a war has erupted between Rabat and the Polisario. [16], The French 19th Army Corps' Oran and Algiers divisions fought the At Khabbash, a fraction of the At Ounbgui khams of the At Atta confederation. Neither army is in a position to sustain a ground incursion into the other for long, except for small incursions into the border area. [39], The ceasefire was almost jeopardized on November 1, when Algerian troops assaulted a village near Figuig and positioned themselves against the town's airport. Morocco is more liberal and attached to Europe. War in the Sahara: 1963 by Karen Farsoun and Jim Paul The 1976 conflict between Algeria and Morocco recapitulates in many ways the earlier Saharan war of 1963. Although the Moroccan state did not interfere in the annexation of the Tuat region, several Moroccan tribes independently sent volunteers to fight against the French. Before French colonization of the region in the nineteenth century, part of south and west Algeria were under Moroccan influence and no border was defined. Part of the Military Factory network of sites that includes, 2023 www.GlobalFirepower.com All Rights Reserved Content 2006-2023 (17yrs).