Morocco receives 33 nationals transferred from Algeria through Oujda border

Yesterday 23:59

A new group of 33 Moroccan nationals, including one woman, was handed over by Algerian authorities to their Moroccan counterparts on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, through the Oujda-Maghnia border crossing. The operation is the second such transfer reported by the Moroccan Association for Assistance to Migrants in Vulnerable Situations (AMSV) since the beginning of September.

The latest transfer comes against a broader backdrop of cases involving Moroccan nationals caught up in irregular migration routes across the region. The AMSV has continued to monitor cases involving detainees, missing people and families seeking information about relatives whose whereabouts remain uncertain.

A return involving several Moroccan regions

According to information released by the AMSV, the people transferred to Morocco come from a number of cities and localities, including Nador, Safi, Meknes, Oujda, Fes, Berkane, Salé, Taounate, Khemisset, Guercif, Zagora, Madagh and Tissa.

The operation also brought families to the area around Oujda. Mothers and relatives reportedly waited near the road leading to the border and later gathered at the city's Post Office Square to receive their relatives after their return.

The transfer highlights the human dimension of migration cases that can extend well beyond the initial journey. For families, tracing relatives, establishing their identity and obtaining information about judicial proceedings can become lengthy administrative and legal processes.

AMSV expands support for migrant families

The latest handover follows the first edition of the AMSV's “Accompaniment and Support” programme, launched in Oujda earlier in September. The initiative focuses on people reported missing, detainees, prisoners and people who have died along migration routes, while also providing a space for affected families to seek assistance.

The association says it continues to receive requests from families seeking information about relatives or assistance with legal procedures. Its work includes following court proceedings and helping gather and transmit documents required to establish identities and family relationships.

The scale of these cases remains significant. In August, the AMSV told Hespress that it was monitoring more than 800 files involving Moroccan nationals in Algeria, including prisoners, people held in administrative detention, individuals awaiting transfer to Morocco and missing persons.

Concerns extend beyond Algeria

The association has also drawn attention to Moroccan nationals detained or held in Libya. According to the AMSV, requests from families concerning cases in Libya have increased in recent weeks, adding another layer to the regional migration challenge.

These files can involve judicial follow-up, identification procedures and communication between families and institutions. The association's activities therefore extend beyond facilitating returns, encompassing assistance to relatives attempting to establish what happened to loved ones along complex migration routes.

A continuing border and humanitarian issue

The 16 September transfer represents another stage in the handling of Moroccan migration cases between Algeria and Morocco. While the handover allowed 33 people to return, the AMSV's ongoing caseload points to a wider issue involving migrants, detainees and missing persons whose families continue to seek information and assistance.

For the relatives gathered in Oujda, the latest operation brought an immediate outcome: the return of family members after a period of uncertainty. For civil-society organisations, however, the broader challenge remains the follow-up of unresolved migration cases across the region.