The U.S. reiterates stance against Algeria’s claims that Kabyle Movement is a terrorist group

The U.S. State Department has once again rejected Algeria’s claims that the Kabyle movement is a terrorist organization, Morocco World News reports.

The movement, spearheaded by the Kabyle people, an indigenous Berber population in Northern Algeria, seeks independence and self-determination, aiming to eventually separate from Algeria. 

“The United States considers Algeria’s concentration on these groups to be more political than security related, and neither appears to have committed what the United States defines as terrorist acts,” the U.S. stated in its annual Country Reports on Terrorism. 

In 2021, Algeria designated the Kabyle Movement a terrorist group, alleging that its members were involved in violent acts, including planting car bombs. It also accused the group of igniting wildfires in the region of Kabylia.

However, rights groups have accused Algeria of weaponizing terrorism laws to suppress political dissent, human rights advocates, and critics of the government.