Algeria weaponizing migration against Morocco and Spain

Most of the migrants who took part in Melilla’s deadly crossing last Friday were from eastern Africa, notably Sudan, who could only access Morocco after crossing the Algerian border.

The role of Algeria is evident in creating this migration crisis in Northern Morocco. According to Spanish paper El Mundo, quoting security officials in Madrid, Algeria is putting pressure both on Spain and on Morocco by using poor migrants as a weapon.

While it boasts that its borders with Morocco- the enemy- are one of the most secure and heavily patrolled in Africa, Algeria turns a blind eye to Sub-Saharan migrants as the military regime seeks to redraw illegal migration routes to put the burden on Morocco.

“Spanish security sources said Algiers loosened control on migration flow on its 1700 km border with Morocco by facilitating access to its territory of the migration flows that cross Egypt, Libya and Tunisia,” which usually opt for Italy or Greece, the paper said.

“We noted great porosity on the border between Algeria and Morocco,” El Mundo said.

The paper notes that out of the 325 foreigners that were listed in Melilla migrants’ centers by 21 June, 139 were from Sudan, indicating that a new route is emerging from Darfour to Morocco via Algeria.

Algeria is taking revenge on Spain because of the latter’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara, the paper said.

Relatedly, Le 360 news outlet reports that among Sudanese migrants, many are former militiamen who fought the civil war in Darfour.

Videos shown by Moroccan authorities to African ambassadors accredited to Rabat demonstrated the scale of violence as Sub-Saharan migrants attacked security forces using sticks, stones, knives and acid.