Moroccan authorities have dismantled a terrorist cell affiliated with the Islamic State in the Sahel, officials announced Monday.
The arrests of 12 individuals suspected of plotting attacks underscore the growing influence of extremist groups in North Africa and the Sahel region.
Authorities described the cell as an imminent threat but withheld details about the planned attacks and the suspects’ motivations.
Videos released by security forces showed police raids across multiple cities, uncovering weapons, cash, and Islamic State flags drawn on walls.
Habboub Cherkaoui, head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, said Morocco remains a key target for terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel.
Following the withdrawal of French troops, militant groups in the Sahel have expanded, seizing control of key routes and intensifying violent campaigns.
Extremist groups exploit instability in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, recruiting from impoverished communities that feel abandoned by their governments.
Authorities identified the dismantled cell as “the Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb,” which operated under the command of Islamic State leaders in the Sahel.
Investigations revealed that the suspects, aged 18 to 40, were apprehended in nine cities, including Casablanca, Fez, and Tangier.
Security forces found materials for bomb-making, including dynamite, gas cylinders, and nail bombs, alongside rifles and handguns with removed serial numbers.
A weapons cache discovered near the Algerian border contained firearms and ammunition wrapped in newspapers from Mali dated late January.
The suspects reportedly maintained ties with Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, a Moroccan-born militant leader killed by French forces in 2021.
Authorities said recent recruitment efforts focused on sending Moroccan fighters to conflict zones, particularly Somalia.
Morocco, a major tourist destination, has not suffered a major terrorist attack in over a decade but continues to dismantle extremist cells.
Security forces have dismantled 40 terrorist cells in recent years, including another one just last month.
Cherkaoui warned that Islamic State factions continue to target Morocco, using propaganda to encourage attacks or foreign recruitment.