Algeria denounces cross-border pollution from Morocco as an act of aggression

During a visit to Tlemcen, Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad and a team of ministers condemned the discharge of toxic waste from Morocco, labeling it a hostile and criminal act. The pollution, traveling through the Mouillah stream from the Oujda region, consists of untreated industrial waste, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical products. This environmental contamination has severely impacted the Hammam Boughrara dam and local agriculture, resulting in significant fish die-offs. Official tests confirm that pollution levels exceed safety standards by a wide margin. Minister Merad characterized the situation as a deliberate attempt to harm Algeria’s environment, pledging that the government will implement necessary measures to protect public health and local ecosystems from these persistent hazardous discharges.