Morocco offers assistance to Algeria in fighting the wildfires
King Mohammed VI expresses readiness to dispatch two aircraft as Rabat is waiting for approval from Algiers to go ahead and help Algeria to fight the deadly blazes.
According to the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday, Morocco declared its readiness to support Algeria in stopping forest fires burning in several areas.
The proposal comes at a time when the two countries’ diplomatic relationships are tense.
Moroccan Foreign Affairs expressed in a press statement that King Mohammed VI gave his high instructions to the Ministers of the Interior and Foreign Affairs, in order to express to their Algerian counterparts, the willingness of the Kingdom of Morocco to assist Algeria in combating the forest fires that are surrounding many areas of the country.
However, on the orders of the King, two Canadairs were mobilized to take part in this operation, upon agreement with the Algerian authorities.
This proposal follows President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s appeal to “prevail over the logic of wisdom” and “work together as soon as he sees fit to build brotherly ties” at the end of July, as well as the demand for the opening of closed borders since 1994.
After the report of four more deaths Wednesday afternoon in Béjaïa, the death casualties from the current forest fires in multiple parts of Algeria has climbed to 69, including 28 military personnel and 41 civilians.
Algerian civil defense teams continue to put out fires with the help of armed personnel and volunteers.
“Three days of national mourning will begin on Thursday,” President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said.