Algeria accuses Morocco of deliberately polluting water flowing into the Hammam-Boughrara border dam, and Rabat does not comment immediately.

Algeria has directly accused Morocco of causing pollution of waterways flowing towards the Hammam Bougrara Dam, located near the common border between the two countries. The dam is one of the most important water resources in western Algeria and more than 1.2 million people depend on it.

During a field visit to the border region of Tlemcen Province, Algerian officials confirmed today, Tuesday (November 10, 2026), that polluted water coming from the Moroccan side is heading towards the dam, and this has raised widespread concerns about water and environmental security in the region.

Algerian authorities: “A systematic attack, not an accident.”

Algerian Interior Minister Ibrahim Murad said that the phenomenon is "not innocent," considering that it represents a "systematic attack." He added that the authorities will submit the file to higher authorities to take appropriate measures in cooperation with the competent national and international bodies.

A number of Algerian parliamentarians also described the case as a “cross-border attack,” demanding recourse to international bodies and courts to look into the case and hold those responsible for it accountable.

Dangerous pollutants and escalating environmental concerns

According to the National Observatory for Environment and Sustainable Development in Algeria, analyzes showed the presence of multiple pollutants in the water, including nitrates, ammonia, and heavy metals, which are substances that may pose a threat to the environment and public health.

Observatory head Karim Arab stressed that the environmental situation in the dam is “extremely worrying,” at a time when fears are increasing about the impact of pollution on water quality and sources of supply in the region in the future.

A new crisis in the wake of chronic tension

The Moroccan authorities did not immediately comment on the Algerian accusations.

These developments come in the context of tense relations between the two countries, which have become more complex since Algeria's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Rabat in 2021.