Morocco’s counterterrorism agency has successfully foiled attacks planned by a 12-member cell loyal to Islamic State in the Sahel.
The suspects, arrested in nine different cities, were receiving orders from a Libyan leader of Islamic State.
The group, which called itself “the Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb Al Aqsa (Morocco),” was planning remotely controlled bomb attacks.
Explosive devices, chemical substances, and a weapons cache, including automatic firearms and handguns, were found during the operation.
The suspects, aged 18 to 40, were radicalized online and had “occasional jobs.” The seized weapons and ammunition were supplied by the IS leader via smugglers.
This operation highlights the threat of jihadist militancy in the Sahel, where groups linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda are expanding their activities.
Morocco has dismantled dozens of militant cells and arrested over 1,000 suspected jihadists since 2015.
