Morocco offers to help Algeria tackle forest fires

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI yesterday instructed the ministers of the interior and foreign affairs to contact their counterparts in Algeria and offer Rabat’s assistance in extinguishing the forest fires that ravaged large areas of the Kabylie forests.

A statement said the king wanted to express “Morocco’s readiness to assist Algeria in combating the forest fires in many regions of the country.”

The statement, which was published by the Maghreb Arab Press (MAP), confirmed that “upon the instructions of the King, two Canadair planes were mobilised to participate in this operation, once the approval of the Algerian authorities is obtained.”

This comes just days after the monarch called on Algeria to engage with Rabat in a “serious dialogue” in order to overcome all differences, open borders, and end the ongoing political crisis between the two countries. There was no official response from Algeria.

Some 65 people have been killed by the fires that have hit Algeria, which authorities believe were started by arsonists. Three days of mourning have been declared by the government starting today.

READ: Muslim Scholars appeal for urgent relief for Algeria, Tunisia