Algeria and the Kurdish Separatist Alliance: A Step Toward Diplomatic Isolation
Algeria has recently taken a significant step in its foreign policy by hosting Kurdish separatist activists in the Tindouf camps, alongside the Polisario militias. This event gained major symbolic importance, marked by the raising of the flags of “Rojava,” the Kurdish autonomous region in Syria, and the puppet entity RASD. Algeria’s approach, perceived as support for separatist groups, risks provoking tensions on the international stage and exacerbating its diplomatic isolation.
The alliance between Kurdish separatists and the Polisario, although geographically surprising, seems logical. Both groups share similar ambitions: independence and international recognition of their territories, goals that find common ground in Algerian support. By hosting these Kurdish activists, Algeria sends a strong message to its neighboring countries, particularly Turkey, which considers the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) a terrorist group threatening its stability.
The situation is further complicated as Algeria seems intent on provoking Turkey, with which it already maintains strained relations. By receiving Kurdish representatives and allowing them to raise their flags on its soil, Algeria adopts a hostile position towards a key regional ally of the West. This gesture comes amid growing tensions between Ankara and Algiers, particularly due to Turkey’s involvement in the region and its ties with rival groups, such as Syrian factions opposed to Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Paradoxically, Algeria’s embassy in Turkey denied the presence of the PKK in Tindouf, even though Kurdish sources, such as the Politika newspaper, confirmed this information. This highlights the gap between diplomatic reality and official statements, creating confusion that only deepens Algeria’s diplomatic isolation. Despite its efforts to downplay its support for Kurdish separatist groups, the Algerian regime is now perceived as a destabilizing actor in this complex geopolitical dynamic.
The implications of this visit go beyond a mere meeting between separatist militants. They reveal Algeria’s willingness to become more involved in territorial sovereignty issues that directly affect its neighbors. This support for Kurdish separatists could set a dangerous precedent, where Algeria openly aligns itself with countries that disregard the principles of territorial integrity and national unity. This diplomatic stance, by strengthening ties with antagonistic groups, could impact its relations with countries like Turkey, Syria, and, of course, Morocco.
By supporting separatist groups, Algeria risks encouraging a model of fragmentation that could inspire other movements in the Arab world and beyond. The cooperation between Kurdish separatists and the Polisario is not merely symbolic; it could lead to exchanges of logistical and military support, further exacerbating tensions and instability in already fragile regions.