Morocco and France launch joint drills near Algerian border
Joint Morocco-France military drills have raised eyebrows in Algiers amid regional tensions.
According to Moroccan government-friendly news outlet Hespress on October 7th, the joint military exercise, coined “Charqi 2025,” is set to take place in the south-eastern province of Errachidia. The drills, consisting of Moroccan and French ground and air units, are allegedly designed to strengthen cooperation in desert operations between the two armies.
The training apparently includes manoeuvres simulating combat and reconnaissance in difficult terrain. Both defence ministries reportedly described the exercises as part of a “long-standing partnership” aimed at boosting preparedness for regional security challenges.
However, the location and timing have caused concern. Algeria has purportedly expressed concern, viewing the joint drills as potentially a “provocative act against Algeria” given their proximity to its border. Algerian officials are said to have requested clarification from the French ambassador in Algiers, highlighting renewed diplomatic unease between the neighbours.
Rabat and Paris maintain that Charqi 2025 is purely technical and not directed at any state. According to the French Ministry, “Charqi 2025 goes beyond the operational dimension, serving as a testament to the strength of the Franco-Moroccan strategic partnership. It seeks to enhance interoperability, develop tactical and technical expertise, and address regional security challenges amid an increasingly unstable international context.”
The exercise unfolds against the backdrop of fragile regional relations. Morocco and Algeria have had no formal diplomatic ties since 2021, when Algiers severed relations over accusations of hostility. The border between the two remains closed, and both sides have since increased surveillance and defence readiness along the frontier.
As reported by Maghrebi, these tensions have caused concern in Europe. Both countries are key strategic partners for the EU; their diplomatic rupture has weakened intelligence cooperation and security efforts in the region.
A more recent point of contention in their relationship occurred in June 2025, when a Moroccan drone strike in the Western Sahara resulted in an Algerian-registered vehicle being destroyed, resulting in the deaths of three people.
Whether seen as a routine military drill or quiet posturing, the turbulence Charqi 2025 has caused underscores how little space remains for trust in North Africa.
Hespress, Maghrebi.org
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