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Rabat – Moroccan authorities will deploy 100,000 members of the armed forces across the entire country on Wednesday to protect the New Year festivities from potential terrorist threats.
The Kingdom of Morocco will enter a state of maximum security alert on Wednesday morning as a measure to guard the territory from any attacks on New Year’s Eve.
“100,000 armed officers will be deployed throughout the kingdom to secure the New Year festivities,” Moroccan daily Assabah informed on its Wednesday issue.
On Monday, the same source noted that Morocco figures among the list of countries threatened to be a target of ISIS’ chemical attacks on the evening of December 31.
“Intelligence services of various European countries have published reports in which they detail ISIS’ plan to attack several capitals of countries that are members of the coalition against this organization,” Assabah revealed, citing that Morocco is among these countries.
“Informed sources have sent firm instructions to all departments to mobilize as soon as Tuesday, December 29 at midnight, 100,000 officials from the military, national security, the Royal Gendarmerie and the Auxiliary Forces,” the daily said.
This large mobilization will be reportedly deployed to critical locations in Morocco, including public areas, busy establishments, and tourist attractions, among others.
To protect the country from any possible terrorist infiltration, security will be tightened around all national borders, the same source said.
A command center has been set up within the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) to oversee the mobilization within the various armed forces, whether by land, air or sea.
Morocco’s intelligence services, including the Moroccan General Directorate of National Security (DGNS), the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), the General Directorate of Studies and Documentation (DGED), and the Royal Gendarmerie, will work in cooperation with the FAR command center.
“Instructions have been given to cancel all holidays and trips from officials of the military, national security and the royal gendarmerie,” the same source revealed.
Members of so-called Islamic State have threatened to attack several countries during the New Year festivities. They have reportedly named their terrorist plan, “the conquest of the New Year!”
The Central Bureau of Judiciary Investigations (BCIJ), a branch of the DGST, arrested nine “dangerous” criminals on December 11, who were active in several Moroccan cities and villages (Kenitra, Sale, Kasbah Tadla, Douar Ghram Laalam, Ait Ishaq).
The nine-member terrorist cell was allegedly planning to carry out similar attacks to those in Paris on November 13.
