The leader of the Movement for Self-Determination of Kabylie, Ferhat Mehenni, met with official representatives from three Gulf countries at the United Nations in New York.
Purpose of the Meeting
The Gulf diplomats wanted to understand the true intentions of the Kabylie self-determination movement, especially regarding their project to declare independence from Algeria.
Reactions
These meetings have caused alarm within the Algerian intelligence agencies, especially from General Jabar Mahna, the head of foreign intelligence, who has made tracking the steps of the Kabylie movement his top priority.
Expected Outcome
It is expected that these meetings will escalate tensions in Algeria’s already strained relations with the Gulf states, some of which are already tense with certain capitals in the region.
Background
Ferhat Mehenni had previously announced that Kabylie would declare its independence on April 20, 2024, at 6:57 PM, as a symbolic reference to the year 1857 when the Kabylie lost its sovereignty after the Battle of Isly against the French.