Makhzen Exploits Assad Regime’s Collapse to Launch Coordinated Psychological Warfare Against Algeria

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | December 17th, 2024 — The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has been seized upon by hostile forces to wage an intense and systematic psychological war against Algeria. This orchestrated campaign, led by Morocco’s Makhzen apparatus and its affiliates, aims to destabilize Algerian society by exploiting regional chaos and sowing fear of a similar fate.

Since December 7, Algerians, particularly those active on social media platforms, have faced an alarming surge in targeted disinformation. The coordinated digital offensive attempts to draw parallels between Syria’s turmoil and Algeria’s domestic security, manipulating public sentiment to propagate a fabricated narrative of impending chaos.

Observers and digital experts consulted by El Khabar have noted a significant uptick in online activities designed to incite panic and confusion. Social media users have reported an influx of posts, comments, and visuals predicting destabilization in Algeria. These fear-mongering tactics, meticulously executed by Morocco’s digital operatives, leverage the fall of the Assad regime as a springboard to erode Algerians’ confidence in their country’s resilience.

Digital Manipulation and the Makhzen Agenda

At the heart of this campaign is a joint effort involving Arab and foreign capitals notorious for their adversarial stance toward Algeria. Social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and TikTok have become battlegrounds where malicious content is disseminated at an industrial scale. Analysts have tracked a proliferation of fake accounts and coordinated bot networks flooding these platforms with incendiary material targeting Algeria.

A particularly insidious aspect of this offensive includes the misuse of imagery featuring extremist fighters, including Moroccan nationals affiliated with organizations such as Jabhat al-Nusra. These visuals are paired with fabricated narratives aimed at painting Algeria as vulnerable to extremist infiltration. Disturbingly, some posts depict armed factions expressing allegiance to Morocco’s monarch, further exposing the Makhzen’s willingness to exploit extremist symbolism to advance its geopolitical agenda.

This manipulation of digital spaces mirrors similar campaigns observed during the aftermath of Libya’s collapse. The same actors deployed propaganda to convince Algerians that their nation was teetering on the brink of chaos, leveraging Algeria’s principled stance against externally imposed regime changes.

Weaponizing Public Perception

For over three years, Algeria has been subjected to sustained attacks from the same networks that worked to justify normalization between the Zionist entity and Morocco. These campaigns have fueled discord, spreading venomous rhetoric to stoke tensions between Algerians and their regional neighbors, including Saudis and Moroccans. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Algeria acknowledged the deliberate manipulation of narratives aimed at driving a wedge between the two nations.

The latest wave of propaganda has sought to invert realities and demonize Algeria’s unwavering diplomatic positions. Posts and comments have targeted Algeria’s diplomatic mission in Damascus, urging its destabilization. This effort, however, was swiftly undermined when Syria’s transitional leadership publicly thanked Algeria for maintaining its diplomatic presence and expressed appreciation for Algeria’s steadfast support.

Coordinated and Technologically Driven Warfare

An analysis of these campaigns reveals telltale signs of bot-driven activity. Identical phrases, repetitive emojis, and uniform interactions across fake accounts are clear indicators of an orchestrated strategy. These accounts masquerade as genuine individuals, often using falsified identities and fabricated personal histories to manipulate public discourse. The scale of interaction—with artificially inflated engagement metrics—exposes the deliberate intent to amplify hostility toward Algeria.

As Algeria navigates these turbulent regional dynamics, the resilience of its institutions and the vigilance of its citizens remain crucial. The Makhzen’s latest gambit underscores the lengths to which adversarial forces will go to weaken Algeria. However, Algeria’s historical legacy of resistance and its capacity to adapt in the face of adversity stand as a formidable barrier against such nefarious designs.

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