Algeria expels Moroccan diplomat over ‘suspicious activities’

Algeria has expelled a Moroccan diplomat stationed in the country, accusing him of ‘suspicious activities’ that are ‘incompatible with the nature of his diplomatic duties’, reports Tunisie Numerique. Mohamed El Soufiani, the vice-consul of Morocco in Oran, was declared ‘persona non grata’ and ordered to leave the country within 48 hours. In a statement , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Khaled Chihani, who was temporarily fulfilling the duties of the Moroccan Consul General in Algeria, was summoned to the ministry, where he was notified of the decision. Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco in August 2021 following a series of hostile actions by Morocco towards Algeria. This is not the first time a Moroccan diplomat stationed in Oran has made headlines. In May 2020, before the diplomatic rupture, the Moroccan Consul General in Oran made a ‘serious blunder’ by referring to Algeria as an enemy country. The statement, widely shared on social media, prompted a reaction from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs which called on the ‘Moroccan authorities to take appropriate measures to avoid any repercussions of this incident on bilateral relations’.

Full report in Tunisie Numerique