First Independent Mena Newspaper
As it continues its sealed border policy with neighbors, combined with import restrictions, Algeria deepens its isolation in a dynamic African continent, further undermining prospects of economic diversification away from oil and gas. In a two-speed Africa where countries post two-digit growth rate, Algeria lags behind due to the short-sightedness of its leaders who failed […]
Prominent Algerian politicians and intellectuals expressed outcry as the Algerian regime prepares a fifth term for ailing Algerian President Bouteflika who is confined to a wheelchair for years and is unable to speak intelligibly. A letter has been issued calling on Bouteflika to refrain from running for a fifth term in order to enable Algeria […]
The Department of State has designated ISIS in the Greater Sahara (also known as ISIS-GS) led by Polisario member Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. “Today’s designations notify the U.S. public and the international community that this group is a terrorist organization and this individual has committed or poses a significant risk […]
In preparing military activities east in Tifarity buffer area in the Sahara, the Polisario and its mentor Algeria have once again flouted UN agreements putting the region on the verge of implosion. Morocco made it clear in a statement that any attempt to change the status of the area east of the security wall constitutes […]
Algerian-backed Polisario separatists announced the organization on May 20 of military parades and drills in the locality of Tifarity, east of the Sahara buffer zone in a blatant violation of UN agreements. Resolution 2414 has called on Polisario to withdraw immediately from the buffer zone and warned that Polisario’s military incursions are “a violation of […]
Morocco and Spain two neighbouring countries with centuries-old shared history are setting the example of a north-south partnership that managed to put aside thorny territorial disputes. Spain is Morocco’s top trading partner both in terms of imports and exports with total trade standing at €14 billion in 2017. Morocco ranks first in the list of […]
Algeria’s 81-year old ailing president has made a rare public appearance on a wheelchair looking wearier unable to speak or move at a time his advocates start an early campaign to prepare the public opinion for his fifth term. Bouteflika who visited the construction site of Algiers Great Mosque prayed on his wheelchair in a […]
The Polisario has incurred a new setback in its legal maneuvers against Morocco after the Kingdom’s phosphate company, OCP, restored ownership of a 55,000 tons of phosphates rock unlawfully held in South Africa following a legal challenge by the Polisario. The cargo on board Cherry Blossom was seized in South Africa since May 2017 after […]
Iran and Algeria’s proxies, Hezbollah and the Polisario respectively, have entered into an alliance to undermine Morocco’s security and stability. The involvement of Hezbollah in arming and training the Algerian-backed Polisario separatists on urban warfare is indicative of the failure of the guerrilla war tactics previously used by the Polisario. After Morocco retrieved the Sahara […]
Morocco has cut diplomatic ties with Iran over its support for Hezbollah in arming and training the Polisario. The connivance between the Lebanese shiite militia and the Polisario separatists raises questions over Algeria’s involvement in allowing two terrorist organizations to operate from its territory against Morocco’s territorial integrity. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told the press […]