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Oujda is the capital of Eastern Morocco; it is approximately situated 15 km from the west side of Algeria. It is a hub for Maghreb tourism due to its advantageous geographical location. Oujda is a juncture between North African Countries and Morocco. Contrary to popular belief, Oujda was founded by the Berbers instead of the Moors. Ziri Ben Attia founded Oujda during the 10th century, and it remained the house of his kingdom until his death some 80 years later. After Ziri Ben Attia, the Ziyanids lorded over Oujda for a hundred years when the Turkish began presiding over the city. Skirmishes, which are near the Algerian boundary, were very common until the 1960’s. During one of these riots, students and other groups fought for their beliefs in what is now called the Algerian Border War. Interaction with the Algerians calmed down a bit during the 1980’s and Morocco and Algeria began practicing an open border policy to allow the enjoyment of what both countries had to offer. Unfortunately when civil war broke in Algeria, the border was once again closed. |