The «Rif Nationalist Party» is intensifying its diplomatic overtures towards Spain. This separatist group has formally requested military support from Spanish authorities, claiming the necessity to «safeguard Melilla from a potential assault by the Moroccan regime», according to Ali Aarrass. Aarrass, a former detainee on terrorism charges in both Spain and Morocco, was released in April 2020. He made this declaration during a recent gathering of the Rif party in Girona, Catalonia. Aarrass also heads the «Rif Observatory for Human Rights», an organization linked to the party. This appeal aligns with statements made by Ridouane Oussama, the party's president, who reached out to Spain just weeks ago. «For us, Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish enclaves. This is an undeniable historical fact», he asserted in an interview with Spanish media. It's worth noting that the «Rif Nationalist Party» previously sought Algeria's backing for an armed struggle. «We hope Algeria will open its training centers to teach us how to handle weapons. We want Algeria to treat us like other liberation movements, both past and present», stated the spokesperson for the separatist group in September 2023.
