Spain: A drone was used to strike Algeria trucks

Spanish intelligence confirmed that a drone was used to strike the two Algerian trucks near the border between the Western Sahara and Mauritania, leading to the death of three Algerians, El Pais newspaper reported.

According to the paper, the Spanish intelligence has “serious doubts” that the attack occurred by mistake.

The Spanish intelligence assessment coincided with Algerian statements, which confirmed that the two trucks had been targeted using a sophisticated weapon.

Last week, Algeria announced that “several elements point to the involvement of the Moroccan occupation forces in Western Sahara in perpetrating this cowardly assassination using advanced weapons, which is a new manifestation of brutal aggression that represents a feature of a policy known for regional expansion and intimidation.” Morocco denied the claims.

Algeria sent letters to several international organisations including the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), informing them of the “extreme seriousness of the act of state terrorism that has been committed and which cannot be justified under any circumstances”.

The new development adds to simmering tensions between the two neighbours, which escalated on 24 August, when Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco, accusing Rabat of having “hostile tendencies”. Morocco, on its part, dismissed the Algerian charges.

Algeria-Morocco ties have been tense for decades, against the backdrop of the disputed Sahara region between Rabat and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

READ: Morocco will not negotiate on Western Sahara issue, king says