Clashes mar Algerian youth festival

The Western Sahara is a longstanding thorn in bilateral relations

By David Bamford in Rabat

Relations between Morocco and Algeria, already under strain for many years, have apparently taken another nosedive following clashes at the 15th World Youth and Student Festival in Algiers.

According to a strongly-worded statement by the Moroccan Government, members of its youth delegation were set upon by what it describes as separatist mercenaries.

Riot police thwarted Berber protesters from penetrating the festival

This is the term used for representatives of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, the state declared by the Polisario movement, which challenges Morocco's occupation of the Western Sahara.

The government in Rabat says 10 Moroccan youths suffered broken arms or were otherwise injured as a result of the fracas.

Blame

A passenger plane has now arrived back in Morocco carrying all 140 of the Moroccan participants in the festival.

The Moroccan Government accuses the Algerians of not providing proper security.

For their part, the Algerian organisers say the Moroccans are trying to embarrass Algeria as it hosts a major international event - one of the few occasions it has attempted to do so since the start of Islamist violence nine years ago, in which tens of thousands of people have been killed.

There are reports from Algiers of frustration as the 4,000 youths from around the world who are taking part in the festival are being confined to their hotels, except for official events, because of security concerns.

Earlier this week, thousands of Algerian Berber youths tried to disrupt the festival following four months of clashes with Algerian security forces.