Maghreb Edition

Morocco: Another tragedy on North Africa roads, 17 killed in bus crash near TazaF

Posted On 2 December 2019

Number of times this article was read : 412

Rabat, Dec 2, 2019 – A bus crash in northern Morocco killed 17 people as the vehicle overturned, the health ministry said Monday, in the second such accident in North Africa the same day. The bus crashed on Sunday near Taza, a town between the Rif and Atlas mountains, local authorities said, with the cause of the accident unclear. The ministry told AFP the death toll had risen to 17, while 36 others were injured. An investigation was opened into the accident at Taza, 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Fez, authorities said. Public television 2M tweeted a photograph of the bus’s interior reduced to a mass of metal.

Elsewhere in North Africa, a bus crash in Tunisia also Sunday killed at least 26 people as the vehicle plunged into a ravine in the mountainous northwest. Nearly 3,500 people die each year in road accidents in Morocco, a country of 35 million people.

The government has launched several road safety campaigns, particularly in the wake of the kingdom’s worst ever bus accident which left 42 dead in 2012. A National Road Safety Strategy aims to halve the number of accidents in Morocco by 2026.

By AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Mali Army, Russian Allies Accused of Executing Civilians Near Mauritania BorderF

Seven Malian refugees traveling from Mauritania were allegedly executed by Malian soldiers and Russian Africa Corps personnel near Ahl El Kory, close to the Mauritanian border, after their vehicles were stopped on March 6. Local sources say the unarmed Fulani civilians were shot or had their throats cut, while other passengers were beaten, questioned as suspected jihadists, then released.

Niger: Armed Attacks Target Military Bases in TahouaF

Armed militants launched coordinated assaults on military facilities in Tahoua, a strategic city in northwestern Niger. The attacks targeted Air Base 401 at the local airport and the headquarters of the 42nd Inter‑Arms Battalion. Nigerien forces repelled both assaults after intense fighting, leaving several soldiers lightly wounded and multiple attackers dead, with five suspects arrested.

Global Energy Markets Jolt as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Oil FlowsF

Oil prices surged toward $119 per barrel as the conflict involving Iran disrupted tanker traffic through the Persian Gulf, forcing several Gulf producers to reduce output and pushing governments to consider emergency energy measures. Saudi Arabia joined Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE in cutting production as shipments stalled and storage capacity tightened. With hundreds of tankers idling near the Strait of Hormuz and major shipping insurers suspending coverage, the crisis is rapidly evolving from a regional military conflict into a global energy shock.

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.