Algeria and Morocco in media war

The ongoing media war between Morocco and Algeria has been fuelled by new accusations following the deadly attack in neighbouring Tunisia against tourists on Friday.

Algeria’s L’Expression newspaper on Monday ran a story claiming the existence of a secret deal between Morocco and groups affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) to spare Morocco from terrorist strikes.

According to the paper, Morocco held a “diabolic alliance” with both ISIS and Al-Qaeda, as well as with “drug dealers and terrorist networks” to spare the kingdom of any terrorist attacks by these organisations.

This is the first time Algeria airs such accusation against neighbouring Morocco.

Earlier in June, Algeria’s Minister of Islamic Waqf accused Morocco of smuggling drugs to the Arab world in a bid to influence young people.

Moroccan political and media were angered by the latest Algerian accusation, and wasted no time in responding in kind.

Moroccan newspaper Hespress responded to the Algerian accusations with an article by Abdul Rahim Manar Islaimy who claimed that Algeria lives “on the brink of explosion”.

Islaimy said the situation in Algeria resembles the Syrian scenario and that the tense situation in the Ghardaia region in southern Algeria resembles the situation in Anbar province in Iraq.

Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania warn that Algeria’s aggression could spell trouble to neighbouring countries.