Caritas Algeria has announced the “complete and definitive” closing of its operations in Algeria, in response to a government directive.

The Caritas announcement did not elaborate on the reasons for the shutdown, but said the Church “remains true to its charitable mission at the service of brotherhood.” Local Church sources told the Fides new agency that the government’s move was not aimed specifically at Catholic charities, but part of a general policy of restricting all foreign relief organizations.

Caritas Algeria had been providing humanitarian aid to the poor and to migrants, in a country that is 97% Muslim.