Moroccan Jet Skier Accidentally Crosses Border and Is 'Shot'

Two Killed in Shooting by Algerian Border Guards
Morocco-Algeria Sever Diplomatic Ties Over Territorial Dispute

Two vacationers riding jet skis off the coast of Morocco in North Africa accidentally crossed the maritime border and were shot dead by Algerian border guards.

According to foreign media including AFP and BBC on the 1st (local time), on the 29th of last month, two men with dual French-Moroccan nationality who were riding jet skis off the Saidia beach in northeastern Morocco lost their way and crossed the Algerian maritime boundary, where they were shot and killed. A French-Moroccan man who was accompanying them was arrested by the Algerian border guards and handed over to the prosecution.

Algerian flag [Image source=Pixabay]

A witness and the brother of one of the men who was killed explained the situation in an interview with local media Al Omk, saying, "We kept moving while lost," and "We only realized we had crossed into Algeria when a small black boat approached us, and then the people on the boat opened fire on us." He added, "Fortunately, I was not hit by the bullets, but they killed my brother and a friend, and arrested another friend." It is reported that this man barely escaped the scene and fled toward Saidia beach, where he was rescued by a Moroccan patrol vessel and survived.

BBC reported that both Morocco and Algeria have avoided commenting on the incident. The Moroccan government stated that it is under "judicial jurisdiction" and did not disclose its position on the matter, while Algeria also did not issue a separate statement. According to local Moroccan media, Saidia beach, where the incident began, is a small pier about 50 meters long that serves as an unofficial border between the two countries.

Algeria and Morocco are neighboring countries sharing a 1,427 km border but have been hostile due to conflicts over the sovereignty of Western Sahara. Morocco, which gained independence from Spain, claims sovereignty over a significant part of Western Sahara territory, while Algeria supports the 'Polisario Front,' which seeks independence for Western Sahara. The border between the two countries has been closed since 1994, and Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021, citing hostile acts.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.