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has cut its tourism ties with in a new escalation between the two counties over a rown onÌýÌýin Morocco.

The Algerian ministry of tourism requested told all tour operators to suspend tourism Ìýin a circular sent this week, according to °®Âþµºâ€™s Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

agencies across the country were ordered to freeze reservations they made with hotels and Spanish transport companies with immediate effect, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed,Ìýto curb the flow of Algerian tourists to Ìý- the secondÌýbiggest holiday destination for Algerians, after Tunisia.

It follows Algeria's suspension of a decades-old treaty with Spain earlier this month, according to the document,ÌýafterÌýMadrid backed the position of the North African country's arch-rivalÌýÌýon the Western Sahara issue, which lies south of the Moroccan border.

Algeria has traditionally supported the Polisario Front, which has fought against Moroccan forces for independence for the region.

Algeria's measures come as a response to on Western Sahara. In March, Madrid said it would support Morocco’s autonomy plan for the region.

The plan offers limited self-government for the localÌý Sahrawi population within Rabat’s sovereignty.

The Algeria-backed Polisario Front and severed ties with the Spanish government.Ìý

Algeria's decision to suspend cooperation with Spain drew the ire of the , which said that the move could be a violation of EU trade law.