ALGERIAN PATRIOTS - ENGLISH

Relations between Algeria and Morocco during the Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962) were far more complex than the romanticized narrative of “Maghrebian unity” often promoted in Moroccan historiography. A recent publication titled “The Algerian War of Liberation in the Moroccan Press: Aspects of Moroccan Support for the Algerian Struggle for Independence”, authored by Mustapha El Aïdi and Abdelilah Kenka, aims to portray Morocco as a key supporter of the Algerian Revolution. However, this interpretation overlooks the historical realities, minimizes Morocco’s ambivalent and often opportunistic stance, and overstates the actual impact of its so-called support. This academic article responds point by point to the claims made in that publication, relying on Algerian, French, and international sources, as well as testimonies from leaders of the Algerian Revolution. 1. The Moroccan Press: Symbolic Sympathy or Opportunistic Coverage? The publication argues that Moroccan newspapers such ...

Despite the media theatrics and diplomatic posturing of the Moroccan regime, the Sahrawi cause has once again triumphed on the international stage, reaffirming that truth and justice will always outlive the illusions of expansionism and occupation. The 2024 annual informational report of the UN Security Council, presented to the General Assembly, has once again exposed the Moroccan narrative and effectively buried the so-called “autonomy plan.” The Moroccan permanent representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, responded with theatrical outrage, unable to mask the sting of a diplomatic defeat. His protest, thinly veiled in official language, is nothing more than a confession of failure — the failure of a strategy built on misinformation, manipulation, and the politics of coercion.   The Mirage of Autonomy Crumbles Before International Law Despite the illusions fed to Rabat by political sponsors such as Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Pedro Sánchez, the Morocc...

In recent days, international headlines have celebrated what is being portrayed as yet another “diplomatic victory” for Morocco, following the United Kingdom’s shift in tone on the Western Sahara issue. London, it appears, now implicitly supports Rabat’s autonomy proposal. This development echoes similar realignments in several Western capitals. But behind this diplomatic fanfare lies a stark reality: Morocco’s so-called victories are not achievements of principle or legitimacy, but rather the result of calculated concessions—economic, strategic, and political—offered to powerful states in exchange for their endorsement. Morocco’s Bargain: Trading Sovereignty for Support Let us be clear: what Rabat presents as foreign support for its autonomy plan is, in most cases, the outcome of transactional diplomacy. What has Morocco promised to the United Kingdom? Access to the natural resources of Western Sahara? Exclusive investment deals or security partnerships? The same applies to the cases ...

In a compelling op-ed published on May 28, 2025, in The Washington Times, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton reignited the debate over one of the world’s most neglected and unresolved territorial disputes: Western Sahara. With China and Russia expanding their influence across Africa, Bolton argues that now is the time for the United States to reassert its commitment to international law and democratic principles by supporting a long-delayed referendum for the Sahrawi people. A Frozen Conflict Since the 1970s Stretching along the northwest coast of Africa, south of Morocco, Western Sahara remains a non-self-governing territory—the last colonial question on the African continent. When Spain abruptly withdrew from the territory in 1975 following the death of General Franco, both Morocco and Mauritania moved in to fill the vacuum. In response, the native Sahrawi population organized under the Polisario Front and began armed resistance, with Algeria offering political ...

More than three years ago, I raised the alarm about a dangerous possibility: the existence of underground tunnels between Morocco and Algeria used for large-scale drug trafficking. At the time, my warnings were dismissed, mocked, or labeled as “conspiracy theories.” Today, that so-called “theory” has emerged from the shadows—quite literally. According to credible media sources, a secret tunnel has been discovered linking Moroccan territory to the Bab El Assa region in Algeria’s Tlemcen province. This tunnel was allegedly used to smuggle significant quantities of processed cannabis (kif)—a product the Moroccan regime has long weaponized to destabilize Algeria. And this isn’t an isolated case. Just a few months ago, a similar tunnel was uncovered in the occupied city of Ceuta, used by Moroccan-Spanish smuggling networks to traffic both drugs and migrants. These are not coincidences. This points to a coordinated and well-established underground infrastructure, most likely developed with t...

A recent article published by Assahifa, a Moroccan outlet known for its close ties to the ruling elite in Rabat, inadvertently sheds light on one of the most significant geopolitical shifts in the Maghreb in decades: the entry into service of Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets in Algeria — one of the most advanced combat aircraft of our time. In an article titled “After Being Rejected by Egypt and Iran… Satellite Images Reveal the Presence of Su-35 Fighters in Algeria”, the Moroccan media outlet delves into the arrival of these jets at an Algerian airbase with a tone that is both alarmist and revealing. While emphasizing that these aircraft had previously been turned down by Egypt and Iran, the piece unintentionally unveils deeper Moroccan anxieties — both military and diplomatic. The Su-35: A Game Changer That Has Rabat Trembling Originally destined for Egypt, the Su-35 jets were ultimately acquired by Algeria after Cairo backed out under Western pressure. Known for their exceptional ag...

In the obscure twists and turns of Moroccan intelligence, a new episode – pathetic as much as revealing – has been added to the long list of clumsy maneuvers by an institution more adept at political tinkering than enlightened strategy. The General Directorate of Studies and Documentation (DGED), visibly disoriented by the kingdom's repeated diplomatic failures on the Sahrawi issue, ventured to fabricate a supposed Syrian document. This document was meant to support the idea of a collusion between the Polisario Front and the Islamic Republic of Iran – a fanciful alliance, tailor-made to provoke international indignation. But this attempt to associate the Sahrawi movement with Tehran or Hezbollah is nothing new. Morocco has been trying for years to portray the Polisario as an unsavory group, hoping to pass it off as a terrorist organization. This repetitive and desperate strategy of disinformation stems from a realization of impotence: Rabat is out of arguments in a conflict where i...

New York, April 16, 2025. In the solemn chamber of the United Nations Security Council, a man takes the floor. With composure, precision, and a measured gravitas, Staffan de Mistura , the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, delivers a briefing that, according to several diplomats present, may well mark a turning point in the protracted Sahrawi dossier. This report comes at a highly charged moment: fifty years after Spain’s withdrawal from Western Sahara in 1975, the question of decolonization remains unresolved, frozen in a status quo that only a crisis—or a concerted international awakening—might shake loose. For the first time in a long while, such a shift now appears within reach. A Diplomatic Trilogy at the Core of the Report Three key messages emerge from De Mistura’s address—three pillars that reflect both the current posture of the United States and shifting power dynamics within the Security Council. 1. Toward “Genuine” Autonomy: A Call for Clari...

Following the report presented on April 16, 2025, by Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations Special Envoy, who solemnly urged Morocco to further clarify its autonomy proposal—a sparse document of just 35 articles spread over barely four and a half pages—Rabat responded with notable, almost embarrassed, reticence. In the analysis that follows, we rigorously and precisely highlight the real reasons preventing the long-awaited clarification. For contrary to the official narrative that describes the plan as “serious” and “credible,” it does not withstand either a thorough legal examination or the fundamental principles of international law. The Western Sahara conflict, long classified on the United Nations agenda as a decolonization issue, remains one of the most sensitive and pivotal matters for the stability of the Maghreb region and beyond. In 2007, Morocco put forward an “Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute,” intended to serve as the cornerstone of a final settlement. Yet be...

April 16, 2025 — Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, delivered a rare and substantial briefing before the Security Council. His report comes at a critical juncture, marked by significant bilateral diplomatic movements, yet overshadowed by a fifty-year-old political deadlock. With a tone both measured and resolute, De Mistura outlines a situation mired in stagnation, yet fraught with potential triggers—some promising hope, others bearing risk. Bilateral Dynamics Shrouded in Ambiguity The report opens by highlighting two key bilateral developments: Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita’s visit to Washington on April 8, and his French counterpart Stéphane Barrot’s visit to Algiers two days earlier. Although the Western Sahara issue was not officially on the agenda, the visits reflect renewed attention from two permanent members of the Security Council—namely the United States and France—to regional stability. Of particular note is the U...

There are narratives we repeat endlessly, slogans waved like banners to seduce, and seduce again—until the lie becomes almost truth. In recent years, Morocco has positioned itself as a supposed champion of Pan-Africanism, multiplying diplomatic gestures, royal visits, and economic agreements across sub-Saharan Africa. But behind this carefully maintained façade, what does this influence strategy truly conceal? How can a kingdom with such an ambiguous foreign policy claim to embody the deep aspirations of the African continent—especially those of the Sahel? Morocco’s Shadow Over the Sahel The Sahelian countries, plagued by terrorism for over a decade, are seeking out various partners in the hope of achieving stability. Among them, Morocco has emerged as a regional interlocutor, claiming to offer its expertise, support, and “African solidarity.” But isn’t it paradoxical—or even cynical—to see Rabat playing the savior in a crisis that, according to several observers, it may have covertl...