A NEW WAR IN NORTH AFRICA?

After Ukraine and Sudan, a new war could be declared in North Africa between Algeria and Morocco due to their rivalry to become the dominant country in this region, and their differences over the Western Sahara conflict.

In a statement made this Tuesday by the Algerian Army Chief of Staff, General Said Chengriha, it was announced that the country's armed forces are going to deploy en masse on the border with Morocco "because we fear a military escalation from September".

These words of the military chief have surprised observers, since both Morocco and Algeria have declared several times that they would not unleash a war with the neighboring country.

But Chengriha has made reference to the military agreements established by Rabat with Israel, which include the creation of a military base on the border and a manufacturing plant for missiles and other weapons.

Algerian troops that are currently stationed in the north of the country, near the borders of Niger and Mali, are going to be transported to the border with Morocco, Chengriha said; These troops are considered elite units and have the most modern Russian-made weapons.

Justifying the deployment of troops, the Algerian general attributes it to the intention of Morocco to prepare massive attacks against the troops of the Polisario front, a movement for the liberation of Western Sahara that has the support of Algiers.

If the Moroccans attack the Polisario with drones and weapons delivered by Israel, they will be able to violate the Algerian border, since the Sahrawis have their refugee camps in the Algerian region of Tindouf, which Morocco claims belongs to it.

Selon Chengriha it seems inevitable that there will be a clash between the Moroccan drones that violate the Algerian border and the Algerian anti-aircraft defense located on the border. The Polisario, for its part, has indicated that it will also intensify its attacks against the Moroccan forces established behind a protection wall in Western Sahara. Algeria, in the opinion of a military source consulted, does not intend to prohibit the Sahrawis from deploying their attacks and raids against the defensive wall.

What scenario could occur in such a sensitive region, bordering the Sahel, where there are groups of jihadists related to Al Qaeda and the Islamic army?

In the opinion of analysts, if there is a confrontation between Algerian and Moroccan troops, the United States and the European Union would quickly intervene to impose peace. But everything will depend on the conditions, since the United Nations maintains that the Sahrawis must pronounce on their future, while Morocco affirms that this territory, a former Spanish colony, belongs to it and there is no need to carry out a self-determination referendum, as demand Algiers and the Polisario.