While accusing the Kingdom of spreading rumors about his state of health, the Algerian president assured Monday that «97% of fake news» on his country would be coming from Morocco, in collaboration with Israel. Tebboune also promised that he «will not abandon the question of Western Sahara». Weeks after the Algerian government's spokesperson accused Morocco of «recruiting agents» online to attack Algeria, President Abdelmajid Tebboune alleged that the Kingdom spreads fake news to destabilize his country. Interviewed by Algerian television on Monday evening, the Algerian president accused the Kingdom of spreading rumors about his health, after his hospitalization for several weeks in Germany. «Thank God. I went through a very critical time and there were those who were spreading rumors about my condition. But we know where it comes from», he said. Tebboune assured that «97% of these fake news come from abroad». «You know where they come from», he said, referring to Morocco. «It is especially after the two (countries, editor's note) have reconnected», said the Algerian head of state, hinting on Morocco and Israel who resumed their diplomatic relations in December. «We have the means to know the source of these sites : 97% of these sites come from our neighbors.They want to disseminate this information in France and Spain but we are monitoring these matters». Abdelmajid Tebboune Western Sahara, Sahel and Africa Abdelmadjid Tebboune also took the opportunity to discuss the Western Sahara question, reiterating his country's position. «Our positions will not change, and they are known. I will not abandon the question of Western Sahara», he insisted, recalling that «these questions were decided in 1989, when Hassan II, King Fahd and Chadli Bendjedid met, at the request of Hassan II». «Hassan II had declared that the question would be left to the United Nations and resumed relations with Algeria. Unfortunately, his country has returned to its old ways», he continued. On regional issues, Abdelmadjid Tebboune could not hide his country's irritation over the actions of Moroccan diplomacy. He thus praised the «role of Algeria in the Sahel region», and returned to the declaration of French President Emmanuel Macron concerning the deployment of the Algerian army to Mali. «We will not send our army out of Algeria». His Defense ministry had, moreover, attacked Morocco after Macron's declarations, assuring that they «can only be issued by ignorant people working under the orders of the interests of the Moroccan Makhzanian regime and Zionism». Tebboune also considered that his country «is a striking power in Africa». «Our army is strong, and we will maintain our strategic expansion in Africa or elsewhere. Algeria is currently working to restore its strength and its pioneering role at the regional level while respecting the sovereignty of others without giving up its sovereignty and its positions, even if there is a country in the region that only does what it has been dictated», he concluded. A few weeks ago, the Algerian Minister of Communication and government spokesman, Ammar Belhimer, also accused the Kingdom of «recruiting hundreds of agents to attack Algeria online».
