Tourists warned before shooting incident in Algerian waters

In a tragic incident, a group of tourists on jet skis, who accidentally ventured into Algerian waters from Morocco, were shot at by the Algerian coastguard. The Algerian defence ministry claims that the tourists were warned multiple times to stop, but a survivor disputes this, stating that they were never cautioned. This unexpected altercation resulted in the death of two men, and one survivor with joint-French nationality has been arrested and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The incident has escalated tensions between Morocco and Algeria, two countries with a troubled history and unresolved border disputes. The border has remained closed since 1994, with Algiers severing ties with Rabat two years ago. The incident has sparked condemnation from Morocco’s National Human Rights Council, which has called the Algerian coastguard’s actions a violation of international human rights law. The families of the victims, holding joint-French nationality, are planning to launch legal action in France against Algeria. The French foreign ministry has expressed awareness of the incident and is in contact with both countries’ authorities and the families of the victims. The long-standing dispute between Morocco and Algeria, exacerbated by their backing of different factions in the Western Sahara conflict, has resulted in a closed border and strained relations between the two nations.