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El Chorouk
6 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Retailleau ruined relations with Algeria, and the French colonization was brutal.
The French Press Agency (AFP) acted suspiciously in the interview it conducted with the French historian, Benjamin Stora, last Wednesday, focusing on a small aspect of the dialogue related to the role of memory in reviving relations between Algeria and France, while ignoring more important points concerning the heinous crimes of French colonialism in Algeria and the role of the far-right, represented by the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, in destroying the bridges of communication between the two countries. The French Press Agency summarized the interview in a brief dispatch that various French media outlets covered last Wednesday, while the full interview was only disseminated through the agency's YouTube channel on Saturday, May 24. The full interview was rich in details of great importance that the dispatch did not mention. It was striking in following the 'video dialogue,' which lasted for 35 minutes, the disappearance of many points that the French historian discussed regarding Algerian-French relations from the past and present, especially concerning the description of the occupation crimes during the initial period of colonization that lasted for eighty years, as well as the crisis instigated by the far-right to destroy the relations between Algeria and Paris. What Benjamin Stora said: 'The French colonization of Algeria cannot be considered a trivial matter, because it was a colonization unlike any other. There was a colonial invasion that lasted for eighty years. It was truly horrific; there were atrocious massacres that the French only discovered recently. Entire villages and cities were destroyed, and this cannot be ignored. There were burnings (the caves), forced relocations of Algerians from their land, and their confinement in camps.' He adds: 'These are painful memories in the history of Algerians that cannot be underestimated. Algeria was part of France, not just a protectorate like Morocco and Indochina. France's borders, until the 1960s, extended south to Mali, Niger, Libya, and Mauritania… The French believed it was impossible to abandon Algeria, which is rich in oil, gas, phosphate, and gold, which led some of the French people to consider Algeria's independence a betrayal.' General Charles de Gaulle was accused of committing this betrayal, and he was the target of assassination attempts several times until his death in 1970. As for the telegram reported by the French Press Agency last Wednesday (France Press), it focused on the role of memory in bridging the gap between the two countries. It quoted Stora: 'We need strong initiatives, especially regarding the issue of French colonization of Algeria in the 19th century. But today, in my opinion, considering the possibility of launching memory initiatives could serve as an alternative to resuming political relations,' which is 'necessary to resolve issues of immigration or visas.' The agency also overlooked an important aspect of the dialogue, which is the role of Algeria in driving rapprochement through memory. Benjamin Stora pointed out that the idea of creating a joint committee of Algerian and French historians originated in Algeria, and it was an initiative that should have been capitalized on. The historian emphasized that the committee cannot write a shared history because each side has its own perspective. The French consider colonialism as bringing civilization to Algeria, while the Algerians view it as the main reason for the killing of millions, the theft of their wealth, and their illiteracy. In the opinion of the French historian, progress on the memory front could have alleviated tensions through initiatives from the French president, which were embodied in Macron's acknowledgment that the French state is responsible for the assassination of Maurice Audin, Ali Boumendjel, and the martyr Arab Ben Mhidi. However, the controversial shift in the French stance on the Sahrawi issue led to the stifling of that initiative, which was proposed after its crystallization during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Algeria in the summer of 2022. He also accused France of making decisions that intensified the crisis, as it 'reduced the number of visas granted to Algerians without announcing it, from 400 to 200 or 250 thousand, and Algerians are aware of this. Requesting a visa from a holder of a diplomatic passport is considered reaching the brink of a break, which I don't think will happen because there are millions of people from both sides and shared ties of land and lineage.' Stora was asked if he would play the role of mediator to resolve the crisis between the two countries, to which he replied: 'The mediator must be accepted by both parties of the crisis. There is no search for a mediator. The crisis has reduced communication channels. I was indeed received by the two presidents in 2020 and 2021, but many things have changed today; we are in 2025.' He hinted that the French Minister of the Interior is responsible for the deterioration of these bilateral relations.
France 24
12-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Did Pakistan shoot down three Indian Rafale jets in Kashmir clashes?
India carried out strikes in Pakistan on the night of May 6 to 7, to which Pakistan responded with artillery fire in Kashmir. The clashes took place amid tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the aftermath of a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. After the clashes, Pakistani army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, claimed that five Indian aircraft had been shot down in Indian airspace, including 'three Rafales, one MiG-29, and one SU-30". Some Pakistani internet users are claiming that several videos and pictures provide evidence of the destruction of the Rafale fighter jets, which are considered the Indian Air Force's most advanced combat aircraft. These claims are being disputed by Indian online users, who say they are part of a disinformation campaign. All jets allegedly crashed in Indian-controlled territory, so neither Pakistan nor India has released any photos with official statements so far. Several images taken out of context have been circulating online since the night of May 6. For instance, a picture allegedly showing a 'completely destroyed' Rafale aircraft was shared by Pakistani online users. They claim that the fighter jet has been found near Bahawalpur, Pakistan. However, our team ran this photo through a reverse image search (click here to find out how) and found the origin of this image. The picture was taken on May 21, 2021, after a Soviet-designed Indian MiG-21 fighter jet crashed near Moga, in the Indian state of Punjab. Pro-Pakistan accounts also shared another photograph allegedly showing a Rafale jet on fire in Bahawalpur. Through a reverse image search, we were able to establish that it comes from an old video, which was filmed on September 2, 2024, after the crash of an Indian MiG-29 fighter jet near Barmer, India. Aircraft debris with French writing? It's a drop tank Separately, Pakistani internet users shared other images, claiming they showed evidence of a destroyed Rafale aircraft. These images were indeed taken shortly after the clashes of May 6. According to these users, photographs released by the French Press Agency (AFP) on May 7 appear to show Rafale debris located near a school in Wuyan village, in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir. These online users say the inscriptions visible on the wreckage found in Wuyan confirm the aircraft's identity. They also say the writing includes the name of a French company, Le Bozec et Gautier, and the RFL acronym, commonly used to refer to Rafales. But Xavier Tytelman, an aviation and defence consultant, says this interpretation is incorrect. '[These images] are not proof that a plane was shot down. It shows a drop tank [Editor's note: and not a Rafale wreckage.] When a jet goes on a mission, once it has used its fuel, it will lighten its load and drop its tank. It's something planes intentionally release during their missions.' It is also likely that the fuel tank belongs to a Mirage 2000, another French aircraft also used by the Indian Air Force, rather than a Rafale. A higher-resolution image reveals that a part of the tank was manufactured in December 1984. This is a year and a half before the first test flights of the Rafale demonstrator. Additionally, contrary to claims made by some Pakistani internet users, the acronym RPL (for "réservoir pendulaire largable", meaning jettisonable external tank) is written on the tank, not RFL, which is associated with the Rafale. Unexploded missile and jet engine possibly from a Rafale Further videos are lending more credence to the theory that a French-made military aircraft was destroyed. video shared online on May 7 shows the debris of a pylon – a missile attachment point – marked 'missile launcher'. Just a few metres from the pylon, the video also shows an unexploded missile. These two elements are characteristics of a Mica air-to-air missile, "recognisable by the fins at the back [of the missile] and the markings on the pylon", says Tytelman. The Mica missile is used by both the Mirage 2000 and the Rafale, but the video does not show enough detail to identify the specific jet model the missile belonged to. Some online users claim that the video was filmed in the village of Akalian Kalan in Punjab, but we were unable to verify this location. Another video and a photograph circulating on social media, 'if indeed confirmed", would more definitively show the debris of a Rafale aircraft, Tytelman said. The video reportedly shows the remains of an M88 jet engine – identifiable by its flaps and rivets – which powers the Rafale. The video was allegedly filmed near the village of Akalia Khurd, where an explosion following the crash of an unidentified plane killed one civilian and injured nine others, according to a local Indian media outlet. We were unable to definitively confirm the location of the crash. According to a source within French intelligence quoted by CNN, at least one Rafale fighter jet was reportedly shot down by the Pakistani military during the clashes on the night of May 6. We reached out to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, which said it did not want to comment on 'rumours".
