Two Moroccan tourists met an unfortunate fate when they were shot by Algerian authorities on Thursday, August 31. This unfortunate incident occurred after the tourists unintentionally entered Algerian waters on jet skis near the beach resort of Saïdia. The incident occurred when the group of friends lost their bearings and ventured into unfamiliar territory.
Mohamed Kissi, one of the group members who survived the ordeal, recounted the events to the Moroccan media. He stated that they realized they had entered Algerian territory when a military speedboat, prominently marked with the word “Algeria”, approached their group. Without any prior warning, the armed individuals onboard opened fire.
Two of the group members, Bilal Kissi, a 29-year-old father of two daughters, and Abdelali Merchouer, were fatally wounded during the confrontation. Both held dual citizenships of France and Morocco. Another man, Smail Snabe, who also holds French-Moroccan nationality, was apprehended by the Algerian coast guard and later presented before the legal authorities. Mohamed Kissi managed to be safely escorted back to Saïdia marina by the Moroccan navy after their jet skis ran out of fuel.
The French foreign ministry has provided official confirmation of the incident.
Background information shows that this event might be shadowed by the long-standing tensions between Algeria and Morocco. The border between the two countries has remained closed since 1994, and diplomatic relations were severed in 2021.