By J. Taos

( Paris, France)–In the wake of the deadly wave of wildfires that recently swept across northeastern Algeria, the Movement for Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) and the Provisional Kabyle Government in Exile (Anavad) have announced plans to introduce legislation before the Kabyle Parliament that would officially classify the fires as acts of non-conventional warfare and recognize those killed as “victims of war.” Both entities also say they will intensify their legal efforts to secure an international investigation into the events.

In his first address since being appointed head of the Provisional Kabyle Government in Exile, broadcasted on the Kabylian TV, Karim Achab stated that “Kabylia has, for several days, been facing a new series of criminal wildfires that have claimed more than one hundred lives,” according to figures compiled by his government from information received from the region. He also described the material and environmental destruction as “a true ecological catastrophe.”

Achab announced that, upon officially taking office, he would submit a bill to the Kabyle Parliament seeking to classify the fires as “acts of non-conventional warfare directed against Kabylia and its people,” while granting those killed the status of “victims of war.” According to him, this legal classification would entitle victims to rights and compensation that a future Kabyle state would provide once it is able to exercise authority over the territory.

The designated head of the government in exile also noted that the Kabylian authorities have filed several complaints with international institutions on the issue since 2021. While acknowledging that international legal proceedings often take time, he said his government would expand its legal initiatives and strengthen cooperation with international law firms in an effort to establish the facts and identify those responsible as quickly as possible.

Achab further claimed that his government possesses “a body of evidence” indicating that a non-conventional war is being waged against Kabylia by the Algerian regime. He alleged that clandestine networks involving members of the security services, military officers, and civilian and military officials are participating in these operations as part of what he described as a “Zero Kabylia” project, carried out with the approval of Algeria’s political and military leadership.

To support his call for an independent international investigation, Achab cited videos allegedly showing witnesses discovering burned capsules containing phosphorus, which he claims was used as an incendiary substance. He also alleged that some of those witnesses were subsequently arrested by Algeria’s National Gendarmerie.

He further referred to videos that, according to him, show multiple fires igniting simultaneously along parallel and coordinated lines, a pattern he argues is difficult to explain as naturally occurring wildfires. Some of these fires, he said, reportedly started in remote and difficult-to-access areas, which he believes could indicate the use of drones.

Achab also claimed that certain footage shows flames first igniting the upper portions of trees before reaching the ground, which he argues demonstrates the aerial deployment of incendiary substances.

He additionally referred to a decision taken by the Algerian authorities at the beginning of the summer of 2026 to prohibit access to forests and wooded areas before lifting the restrictions two months later. According to Achab, his movement suspects that the measure was intended to allow reconnaissance operations and prepare the logistics necessary for the outbreak of the fires.

Achab also recalled that, following the devastating 2021 wildfires, Algerian authorities accused the MAK, Morocco, and Israel of responsibility but did not seek an international investigation. He contrasted that with Algeria’s later request for an international inquiry following the shelling of two Algerian trucks near the Mauritanian border.

He questioned the government’s approach, asking:

“How can a state file an international complaint over the deaths of two people while failing to appeal to international institutions in crimes that have claimed the lives of more than 500 people?”

Based on these allegations, the head of the Provisional Kabyle Government in Exile called for the establishment of an independent and impartial international investigation to determine responsibility for the fires.

Achab concluded by accusing those he believes are behind the fires of acting “out of organized hatred and under orders from senior officials” as part of what he described as a scorched-earth strategy intended to destroy living conditions, assimilate the population, and force displacement.

Despite these allegations, he ended his speech with a message of resilience:

“Whether Kabylia burns or not, it will rise again through its children, their courage, and their attachment to their land and their identity.”