The meeting organized by the «Rif Nationalist Party» on Saturday, July 20, in Algiers led to the establishment of a new branch in Melilla. «The leadership of this separatist branch has been assigned to Ali Aarrass, a former terrorism convict in Morocco who was released in April 2020. He also heads the 'Rif Observatory for Human Rights', an entity affiliated with the same party», a source familiar with the matter disclosed to Yabiladi. The selection of Aarrass is particularly noteworthy. Born in Melilla, he has maintained a robust support network following his twelve-year imprisonment in Morocco, which includes prominent figures within this enclave. «In Algiers, he was accompanied by a Spanish journalist and a Belgian national», the source further revealed. Ali Aarrass was the focal point of last weekend's meeting in Algiers, as demonstrated by his statements to official Algerian media. The «Rif Nationalist Party» is thus rallying Rifains who are disillusioned or at odds with Morocco. This initiative to establish a branch of the «Rif Nationalist Party» is part of a broader Algerian strategy to enhance its influence in Melilla. It is worth recalling that in 2019, Algerian authorities attempted to leverage religious outreach by negotiating directly with Youssef Kaddour, president of the Annour Islamic Commission of Melilla, to allow Algerian imams and preachers access to certain mosques in the enclave, in exchange for sending Algerian tourists to Melilla.
