Maghreb Edition

Morocco: Dozen alleged Jihadists arrested in Melilla and NadorF

Posted On 4 October 2022

Number of times this article was read : 927

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group

The North Africa Journal’s WhatsApp Group


Moroccan and Spanish police have dismantled a jihadist cell suspected of links to the Islamic State group, officials said Tuesday. The operation led to the arrest of 11 people in raids on Tuesday morning: nine in the Spanish enclave of Melilla on Morocco’s northern coast, and another two in the nearby town of Nador, according to a Moroccan police statement. Spanish security sources said 10 people had been arrested in Melilla and another in the southern Spanish city of Grenada.

The Moroccan police said the two suspects held in Nador, aged 34 and 39, were remanded in custody and that mobile phones and a computer had been seized. The detainees were suspected of “promoting extremist ideology” online “in order to recruit people in terrorist organisations”, the same source said.

Morocco and Spain officially revived their security cooperation in April after mending fences following a year-long diplomatic row over the Western Sahara. The Moroccan police regularly announce operations against jihadist cells, and reports having arrested more than 3,500 people in relation to “terrorism” since 2002.

AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of AfricaF

Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of AfricaF

Egypt joined China’s expanded zero-tariff scheme on 1 May 2026, gaining duty-free access to the Chinese market alongside 52 other African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing. The move eliminates tariffs that previously ran from 8 to 30 percent on key Egyptian exports, though the arrangement is a two-year preferential window through April 2028 rather than a permanent deal, and non-tariff barriers like rules of origin and phytosanitary standards still apply.

While its minorities are winning World Cup games, France is preparing to pivot to the far rightF

While its minorities are winning World Cup games, France is preparing to pivot to the far rightF

As France’s multiethnic World Cup squad marches toward the semifinals, the country’s 2027 presidential race is tilting hard right. Right-winger Marine Le Pen leads first-round polling and beats nearly every rival in hypothetical runoffs. With RN president Jordan Bardella waiting in the wings and Jean-Luc Mélenchon consolidating the left, France’s fractured center may not be able to stop either a far-right or hard-left runoff in 2027. Here is our take.

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.