Algeria ends its envoy’s mission to Morocco

By Abdelrazzaq bin Abdullah

ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Algeria has ended the mission of its envoy to Morocco a few weeks after announcing that it was cutting diplomatic ties with the country.

The decision was published Monday in Algeria's official gazette and was based on a presidential decree issued on Sept. 26 to terminate the mission of Abdelhamid Abdaoui as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Morocco.

The decree, however, did not clarify the reason for ending his mission in Morocco, which started in November 2019.

It also did not clarify whether there will be a successor to Abdaoui.

In July, Abdaoui was recalled to Algeria for consultations in protest against statements made by Morocco's representative to the United Nations which were viewed as supporting a separatist movement in Algeria classified by Algerian authorities as a secessionist terrorist group.

On Sunday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said he rejects any mediation with Morocco.

Algeria decided to sever relations with its neighbor Morocco on Aug. 24, accusing Rabat of having "hostile tendencies."

Ties between the two countries have been tense for decades over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, which is claimed by Morocco as well as the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara