Insurgencies: Three alleged members of Islamic State group arrested in Morocco and Spain

Posted On 11 January 2023

Number of times this article was read : 288
Influencing the influencers: Some of The North Africa Journal's subscribers
From Shield & Alert:
Senegal at the Center of Another Geopolitical FightMali: Al Qaeda attacks rebel convoy in the Ouagadou forestFrom a Russian Grain Export Onslaught to a Ban on French Cattle: Agricultural Trade Between France and Algeria in StandstillNiger and Algeria recall their ambassadors over undocumented migrantsSenegal: Disgraced President leaves office to find shelter in MarrakeshMorocco: Health workers go on strike, demand implementation of reformsAlgeria: President announces early election, no one knows whyAlgeria: Beware of forgery. New law seeks to reduce fraud and white collar crimeMorocco: Price of butane gas to increase by 25% in AprilUS-Niger relations face uncertainty, with Niamey’s pivot to RussiaBrief: Tunisia: The Lazy GovernorsAlgeria: Opposition leader Zoubida Assoul announces presidential bidAgriculture: Spanish farmers say Moroccan strawberries carry virus, as Morocco surpasses Spain as tomato supplier to EUBloody Sunday: The indiscriminate killing of Muslim and Catholic worshipers in Burkina FasoNiger and Mali up their anti-Western positions, lash out at France and USNiger: Two soldiers killed in insurgent attack in DiffaMali: Katiba Mecina insurgents raid military camp in Niono, repelledSenegal’s outgoing president prepares for disgraced exitAlgeria-Morocco Competition for Regional Influence Shifts to Economic AffairsLibya: Bank and power company employees detained over separate corruption affairs
1274 issue: week ending 13 January 2023
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group

The North Africa Journal’s WhatsApp Group

Moroccan and Spanish authorities have broken up a jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State group and arrested its three members in a joint operation, Morocco’s security services said Wednesday. One of the “extremist elements” was arrested by special forces from Morocco’s DGST domestic intelligence agency in the rural southern region of Chtouka Ait Baha, the country’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) said in a statement.

Two other members of the cell were arrested by Spanish authorities in Almeria, in the European country’s southeast, said the BCIJ, which oversees counter-terrorism operations.

Approached by AFP, a police source in Spain confirmed the Moroccan statement but did not give further details. The BCIJ said the suspects had pledged allegiance to IS and were promoting “extremist ideas for recruitment purposes”. The suspects had been hoping to carry out “terrorist operations” elsewhere after they were “unable to reach (IS) strongholds in the Sahel region”, it said, referring to a vast area south of the Sahara. However, they had been in contact with fighters in the Sahel charged with helping new recruits join IS, the BCIJ added.

Morocco has been largely spared jihadist violence in recent years, but authorities regularly announce arrests of suspected IS affiliates. Since 2002, the North African kingdom has broken up more than 2,000 “terrorist cells” and detained some 3,500 suspected jihadists, according to BCIJ figures.

AFP
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Sahel: Several killed in army-Jihadists confrontation in central MaliAlgeria: Policeman kills boy during drug bust >>
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Senegal at the Center of Another Geopolitical Fight

Senegal at the Center of Another Geopolitical Fight

By Arezki Daoud: France is experiencing an unprecedented backlash in the Sahel and in West Africa.  Disastrous post-colonial policies forced the people of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to expel French troops and diplomats, reducing Paris' entrenched but...

Mali: Al Qaeda attacks rebel convoy in the Ouagadou forest

Mali: Al Qaeda attacks rebel convoy in the Ouagadou forest

By MondAfrique:  A column of armed vehicles from the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), the Touareg rebel coalition driven out of Kidal, was attacked by fighters from the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) on Friday in the Ouagadou forest, while that it was...

From a Russian Grain Export Onslaught to a Ban on French Cattle: Agricultural Trade Between France and Algeria in Standstill

From a Russian Grain Export Onslaught to a Ban on French Cattle: Agricultural Trade Between France and Algeria in Standstill

Agricultural trade between France and Algeria is experiencing challenges that are primarily affecting French exporters. From the onslaught of the Russian grain exports to Algeria, essentially displacing French exporters, to Algeria banning French cattle due to EHDV disease, not all is well between Algeria and France in the agricultural trade sector. The most affected parties in this situation are French producers and exporters, who are looking for new initiatives to fight back.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This