Algeria confirms firing on Moroccan tourists riding jet skis

By Hassan Jebril

ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Algeria confirmed Sunday that its coast guard fired on three tourists who illegally entered its waters on jet skis on Aug. 29.

In a statement, the Algerian Defense Ministry said a coast guard unit issued audible warnings and asked them several times to stop, but they refused to comply.

It said the coast guard unit then opened fire, forcing one of the jet ski operators to stop, while the other two fled.

It added that the next day, the body of an unidentified male was found in Algerian waters, bringing the death toll from the incident to two.

Morocco’s National Human Rights Council condemned the shooting of the two Moroccans, saying the incident constitutes a grave violation of the international law of human rights.

Algeria and Morocco are regional rivals whose ties are strained over the disputed Western Sahara region.

In August 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco, accusing Rabat of having "hostile tendencies," which was denied by Moroccan authorities.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar