HIBAPRESS
The Algerian military regime has maintained complete silence after the launch of the joint Moroccan-French military maneuvers "Eastern 2025" starting on October 6th in the vicinity of Errachidia, in a clear indication of its diplomatic failure and strategic blindness in the face of the deep Moroccan-French partnership.
This sudden silence came in contrast to the fiery speeches that the Algerian regime launched last March, which were characterized by threats and exaggerated shouting, making the current silence more clear and indicative of the loss of any political foothold in the issue. The maneuvers, which were carried out by the Royal Armed Forces in cooperation with the French army, included the deployment of field units, tactical clashes, aerial landing operations, and a simulated attack, where Moroccan Abrams tanks joined French Tigre helicopters and NH90 helicopters. The French ground forces confirmed on their official website the quality of integration between the forces and the solid strategic partnership. After the bidding that witnessed the statements of Algeria last March, any continuation of the controversy during these maneuvers would increase Algeria's isolation on the international stage and highlight its lack of legitimacy. Over the past years, the ruling military junta in Algeria has been conducting large-scale maneuvers on the Moroccan border, often with the participation of Russia, as happened in the "Desert Shield" maneuvers in 2022 and 2023 near Morocco, without any official reaction from Rabat, while Algeria first began to protest and then later fell silent, in an attempt to avoid international embarrassment in the face of an undeniable reality. It is worth noting that the announcement of the "Eastern" maneuver came at a time when Algeria was trying to divert attention from sensitive internal crises, most notably the arrest of writer Boualem Sansal, the tension with Paris over the expulsion of irregular Algerian immigrants, and accusations of espionage on French territory. The diplomatic hysteria was aimed at redirecting attention towards nationalism and regional competition, but after the media turned away from these issues, it became clear that the continuation of the noise was of no use, so Algeria adopted silence as a strategic option. In contrast, the "Eastern" maneuver is, for Morocco and France, part of a long-term program of military cooperation. These maneuvers aim to enhance joint training, interoperability, and readiness to face security challenges, especially in the Sahel region. Thus, Morocco strengthens its position as a reliable regional player, while France maintains a strategic presence in a vital region after its withdrawal from the Sahel region. The reactions of Algeria, which were initially hysterical and then later silent, reveal the shortcomings of its diplomacy. As for the "Eastern 2025" maneuver, it took place in a calm and organized atmosphere that repelled Algeria's ambitions, which were shocked by the reality of the established Moroccan-French cooperation.
