The Algerian Ministry of Defense announced today, Sunday, that coast guard forces fired warning shots before directly opening fire on a man riding a jet ski within Algerian waters, in an incident that one survivor said resulted in the deaths of two people. Mohammed Qaisi, who claimed he survived the shooting, stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday after he and four other men lost their way and entered Algerian waters aboard jet skis near the coastal resort of Saidia in Morocco, close to the Algerian border.
In a statement released today, the Algerian Ministry of Defense said, "After several attempts, it was decided to open fire on the jet ski." They also indicated the recovery of another body with gunshot wounds on Wednesday. Qaisi mentioned in a video clip that a boat belonging to the Algerian government approached them after dark. He added that he heard gunfire coming from the boat directed at them, noting that his brother Bilal (29 years old) and another man, Abdulali Machour (40 years old), were shot dead. He stated that Moroccan fishermen found his brother Bilal's body and buried him near the city of Oujda in eastern Morocco on Wednesday.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is aware of the death of one of its citizens and the detention of another in Algeria, and is in contact with their families and authorities in Morocco and Algeria. The border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994, and diplomatic relations between the two countries have been severed since Algeria decided to cut its ties with Rabat in 2021.
