The Algerian Minister of Hydraulics, Taha Darbal, has accused Morocco of harming «transboundary surface waters in western Algeria, causing significant environmental damage». Speaking at the tenth meeting of the parties to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes in Ljubljana, Slovenia, he asserted that the western and southwestern regions of Algeria are suffering from «the consequences of the neighboring state's actions on surface water sources». Darbal specifically pointed to «the pollution of water entering the Hammam Boughrara dam in the wilaya of Tlemcen», as well as a «sharp decline in water reserves in the Ghir Valley due to Moroccan dams», which he claimed has «led to prolonged soil dryness». He further noted that the Saoura region in the southwest has «experienced ecosystem collapse and biodiversity loss, affecting 43 rare species», and he emphasized the «urgent need for international support to restore» these damaged natural areas. These remarks are characteristic of Taha Darbal, who previously made headlines by accusing Morocco of «draining dams in western Algeria», particularly during the World Water Forum last May in Bali.
