Algerian border guards deny access to Syrians expelled by the Moroccan authorities

The Algerian border guards (GGF), watching the Algerian-Moroccan border strip, denied Sunday the entrance on the Algerian territory to Syrian nationals, expelled by the Moroccan authorities, indicated on Monday head of the National Gendarmerie group in Tlemcen. "The GGF denied the access to the national territory to Syrian refugees that the Moroccan authorities wanted to expel towards Algeria," Colonel Boualleg Mohamed told APS. "Following this denial, the Moroccan authorities had called to their media to accuse the Algerian authorities of having expelled these Syrians, while they were actually in the Moroccan territory," he explained. Colonel Mohamed Boualleg has also recalled that "when the Algerian border guards intercept those attempting to enter illegally the country, they are immediately arrested and brought to justice and not sent back to the territory of the neighboring country". The number of Syrian refugees present in Tlemcen is estimated between 250 to 300 people, security source added. They regularly receive aid by the Algerian Red Crescent provincial committee, charities and citizens. Last Thursday, Algeria denied by the voice of the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amar Belani, having expelled Syrian nationals living in its territory.