RT: Algeria Decides to Close Airspace to French Military

Informed sources told RT that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune decided to close the Algerian airspace to all French military aircraft heading to the Sahel region as part of Operation Barkhane.

The sources pointed out that the crossing of French military aircraft to the Sahel region through Algerian airspace "is a privilege granted to France since the rule of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and it has been valid for 4 years."

The sources added that "this decision will severely affect French military operations and correct a strategic mistake of the former president," and will lead to "a slowdown in French-Algerian military cooperation in the next few weeks."

This decision comes after controversial statements attributed to French President Emmanuel Macron, which Algeria described as interference in its internal affairs.

The French newspaper "Le Monde" published statements by President Macron, in which he said that his Algerian counterpart, Tebboune, "is stuck in a very difficult regime."

In his statements, Macron also referred to the historical past of France in Algeria, pointing out that he wanted to rewrite Algerian history in both Arabic and Berber: "to expose the falsification of facts by the Turks."

The French president also questioned the existence of an "Algerian nation before French colonialism," stressing the need to address this issue in order to achieve "reconciliation between peoples."