Algeria marked the 60th anniversary of its independence this Tuesday with perhaps the largest military parade in the country’s history. The event served as a tribute to the martyrs of the war of independence and unfolded amid regional tensions with Morocco, a neighbor with which Algiers cut ties last summer, and after Spain suspended a long-standing friendship treaty.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reiterated that, regardless of the level of responsibility, everyone must contribute to strengthening the state in the face of the current challenges. He spoke of a country reaching a stage where borders are clearly defined and of an Algerian future filled with confidence, while praising the role of the military in safeguarding stability.
In the early hours, Tebboune laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Algerian Martyrs and observed a moment of silence. He then reviewed the army alongside the Chief of Staff, listening to the sounds echoing across the waterfront near Algiers Mosque, a landmark that dominates the city’s skyline.
Spectators moved along grand avenues dotted with national flags and portraits of fallen heroes as tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, and troops paraded by. The Algerian armed forces, regarded by analysts as among the strongest on the continent, were on full display. A significant portion of the public has witnessed military deployments firsthand, underscoring the deep resonance of the day.
Aircraft roared overhead, painting the sky in the national colors — green, white, and red — a visual reminder of the country’s emblematic flag. It had been 33 years since Algeria staged a parade of this scale, a tradition that had paused during the crisis of the nineties known as the Black Decade, a period shadowed by widespread terrorism.
Representatives from several nations within the Algerian orbit attended the ceremony. President Tebboune sat alongside Tunisian President Kais Saïed, with other leaders from Palestine, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria present. State media noted the attendance of the Polisario Front leader and the head of the Italian Senate, among others, highlighting the event’s international significance.
Diplomatic crisis with Spain
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the presence of the Spanish ambassador in Algeria at the commemorations, along with other diplomatic representatives. Currently, the two nations are navigating a diplomatic rift. Spain’s support for a Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara drew a sharp rebuke from Algeria, which called the stance unfair. Algerian authorities responded by withdrawing their ambassador from Madrid and suspending a friendship treaty signed two decades ago. At present, relations between the two countries remain frozen.
For decades, Algeria and Morocco have played the leading roles in a regional rivalry over influence, especially after the Western Sahara dispute escalated. Following last summer’s diplomatic rupture, Algiers accused Rabat of hostile acts. Algeria remains a key ally of the Polisario Front and has consistently advocated a self-determination referendum for the former Spanish colony, tensions that continue to shape the broader regional landscape.