Algeria on Wednesday blamed devastating wildfires this month on two groups it recently designated as terrorist organizations, adding that one of them was backed by Morocco and Israel.

The president's office said police had arrested 22 people for starting the deadly fires, but said ultimate responsibility lay with the Islamist Rashad group and MAK, an autonomy movement for the mostly Amazigh-speaking Kabylie region.

Algeria designated both groups as terrorist organizations this year. The presidency said on Wednesday that MAK "gets support and help from foreign parties, particularly Morocco and the Zionist entity", referring to Israel.

Neither the Moroccan nor the Israeli foreign ministries were immediately available to comment on the accusation.