Algeria bolsters border with Russian jets, tension escalates
Algeria has completed the construction of an airbase with Russian MiG-29 fighter jets near the Moroccan border, confirmed by the Atlantic Observatory of Defence and Armament. Will this escalate regional tensions?
Algeria, with Russia's support, has finished building a new airbase near the border with Morocco. The base is located in Umm al-Assal, just 72 kilometres from the border, in the Tindouf region. Satellite images published by the Atlantic Observatory of Defence and Armament (AODA) show military infrastructure, including runways and aircraft shelters.
Tensions at the Algerian-Moroccan border
Two MiG-29M2 fighter jets are stationed at the base, which according to Moroccan media, is a provocation by Algeria. Morocco and Algeria have long been in conflict over Western Sahara, and the new base could escalate the situation. The Moroccan portal Moroccoworldnews emphasizes that the base is part of a larger network of 25 military installations along the border.
Observers warn that the deployment of the base could lead to regional conflict that could spread across the entire Sahel region. A potential war could trigger new waves of migration to Europe and disrupt trade in the Mediterranean Sea, as noted by the think tank Oxford Analytica.
International relations
Algeria maintains close relations with Russia, which worries Morocco. Algeria has signed an agreement to purchase 14 MiG-29M2 fighter jets. Meanwhile, Morocco is strengthening cooperation with France, the USA, and Israel, which also concerns Algeria. Both countries are trying to avoid war, but tensions remain high.
Western Sahara remains the main point of contention. Morocco, backed by the West, considers this region its autonomous area, while Algeria supports the Saharan separatists. The situation in the region remains tense, and the new military base could only worsen relations between the neighbours.
