Cross-border pollution: Oued Mouilah hit by industrial waste from Morocco

The Maghnia region in Tlemcen is struggling with severe environmental degradation caused by industrial waste discharged from Oujda, Morocco, into the Oued Mouilah. This contamination is severely impacting the Hammam Boughrara dam, which has a capacity of 177 million m³ and suffered a massive ecological disaster in September and October 2024, resulting in the death of over 45 tons of fish. Research presented at the University of Tlemcen revealed that 8,000 hectares of farmland are currently unusable, with local livestock dying after consuming the polluted water. Researcher Mohamed Doumir highlighted the grave chemical and bacteriological risks, while also criticizing Moroccan authorities for constructing dams to block the natural flow of waterways reaching the Béchar region.