A Moroccan rights group called for an independent investigation after Algerian forces shot and killed two Moroccan nationals near the countries’ closed border, the latest in a string of deadly incidents in the area.
The Moroccan Democratic Organization for Human Rights said the repeated use of live ammunition along the frontier raises serious concerns and urged authorities to make public all details surrounding the latest shooting.
The NGO said that regardless of the allegations involved, the right to life must be protected and lethal force should only be used as a last resort, in line with international standards on law enforcement.
The reaction came after the Algerian Ministry of National Defense announced that its forces had shot dead two Moroccans late Friday in the Beni Ounif area, part of Algeria’s Third Military Region.
In a statement, the ministry accused the men of attempting to smuggle 49 kilograms of processed cannabis into Algerian territory. It said one of the men had been identified and accused Morocco of fueling what it described as a “drug war.”
The shooting marks the second such incident in roughly a month. In late January, Algerian authorities reported killing three Moroccan nationals in a similar operation, also alleging drug trafficking.
Those deaths prompted criticism from Moroccan civil society groups and renewed scrutiny of security practices along the heavily guarded border.
The land border between Morocco and Algeria has been closed since 1994, and diplomatic ties were severed in 2021.
Despite the closure, smuggling networks have long operated in remote frontier areas.
Deadly encounters have occurred before. In 2023, Algerian coast guard forces shot and killed two French-Moroccan tourists who had strayed into Algerian waters on jet skis, triggering diplomatic tensions and public outcry. Human rights advocates at the time questioned whether the use of lethal force was justified.
In its statement, the Moroccan rights group said borders, no matter how sensitive the security context, must not become spaces where force is used without oversight or accountability.
The NGO called for a transparent judicial probe, publication of the findings and guarantees that the victims’ families have access to legal remedies.
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