Without mentioning it by name, Morocco was present in the speeches delivered in Algiers on Wednesday 8 May by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the head of the country's armed forces, General Said Chengriha. In his speech, the military chief said that his soldiers were «ready to face any eventuality on our borders». For his part, the Head of State referred to «security concerns» and the importance of a strong military. «As we strengthen the army, we will reduce internal issues», he stressed. He then referred to the 1963 Sand War against Morocco. Algeria has «never strayed from international legality» and has «always acted in defense of its territory». In January 1976, during the first battle of Amgala in Western Sahara, 200 Algerian soldiers were killed and 109 captured by the Royal Armed Forces (FAR). Following the intervention of the International Red Cross, Morocco and Algeria exchanged military prisoners.
