Amidst rapidly evolving regional dynamics and increasing international pressures, there has recently emerged what seems to be a reshaping of Algeria's stance on the Sahara issue. Between an official discourse that appears different from before and diplomatic and on-the-ground maneuvers that carry contrasting signals, the contours of divergence within decision-making circles are becoming apparent.
Do a thesis topic and the research elements belong to the doctoral student or to the supervisor? The complexity of these legal aspects creates a gray area where both researchers and thesis supervisors sometimes appropriate or claim the data collected and the results. The scientific output itself then gets lost in the haze of administrative ambiguity.
A little over a month and a half after Algeria's initial intervention in Ksar Ich, in the province of Figuig, soldiers from the eastern neighbor are active in the area and are asserting their sovereignty, leaving the local residents in a difficult situation. At the end of March, the Algerian army was deployed on the only provincial road leading to the border oasis.
During the golden age of the Saadian dynasty under Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur al-Dhahabi, Ramadan was a time of religious devotion and scholarly gatherings, highlighting the Sultan's role as a protector of the faith. However, following his death, the dynasty plunged into chaos, with internal conflicts leading to the suspension of religious practices and the closure of mosques, starkly contrasting the vibrant spiritual life of al-Mansur's reign.
Algerian army units moved into the Ksar Ich area near Figuig on Wednesday, unilaterally demarcating the border. Local activists denounced the move as illegal and unprecedented.