A short drive north-east of Oujda brings you to one of the most consequential closed borders in the world. The crossing at Zouj Bghal is sealed and patrolled, with no foot or vehicle traffic between the two countries. For travellers, it is little more than a curiosity — but standing at a closed frontier in plain sight of Algerian villages is a vivid reminder of the political settlement that shapes this part of Morocco. There is no organised access; a taxi can drop you near the crossing point.
The Algerian Border
A story
The Morocco–Algeria border, sealed in 1994 after the assassination of tourists in Marrakech was blamed on Algerian Islamists, is the longest closed land border in Africa. Multiple rounds of negotiations to reopen it have failed; the closure has reshaped Oujda's economy and identity over the last three decades.