Morocco called on Saturday neighboring Algeria to assume its responsibility in controlling illegal migration, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The ministry said that it summoned the Algerian ambassador and expressed its concern after an attempt of 55 Syrian refugees to enter Morocco illegally.

"Algeria should shoulder its political and ethical responsibility towards this situation," the statement said, adding that "the humanitarian tragedy of those Syrian people should not be an element of blackmail or pressure on bilateral agenda."

On Friday, Morocco's interior ministry accused Algeria of forcing 55 Syrian nationals to enter Morocco's territories earlier this week.

"This is not the first time that the Algerian authorities have deported migrants to the Moroccan territory," the interior ministry said, adding that "similar attitudes have been recorded in the past."

Source: Xinhua