Algeria and Morocco have been engaged in an arms race in recent years over issues that continue to divide the two neighbouring nations, notably the Western Sahara. This is an alarming situation that could reawaken the ‘old demons’ of the battle of Amgala that took place between 27 and 29 January 1976 around the oasis of Amgala in the Sahara.
« Algeria has the second largest army on the continent behind Egypt. The government does not refuse anything to the army. This was the method established by Abdelaziz Bouteflika, » explains Jean-François Daguzan, former deputy director of the Foundation for Strategic Research, author of a long article, « The Algerian army in the challenge of transformation » in the latest issue of the magazine Maghreb-Machrek.
Algeria has more than 1,300 modern tanks, more than 2,000 armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft defence systems, Meko frigates, Russian kilo-class submarines, a fleet of 58 Sukhoï 30MKA fighters, about fifteen Mig-29S and about forty Su-24 bombers… For its part, Morocco has preferred to reduce its arms purchases by 60% over the past five years.
According to the Defence website, the kingdom signed, in 2020, new contracts for the acquisition of a large quantity of materials and equipment for the Royal Armed Forces (FAR). It is about 300 VLRA vehicles ordered from the French company Arquus. With the Sahara issue still a source of tension between Morocco and Algeria, the arms race raises fears of an armed conflict between the two countries.
Laisser un commentaire