151 Moroccans Repatriated From Mauritania Arrive in Dakhla

Rabat – A total of 151 Moroccan citizens, including babies and children, arrived Sunday evening at Dakhla Airport from Mauritania as part of the repatriation of Moroccans stranded abroad.

Morocco’s flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) operated the June 21 repatriation flight and assured its careful adherence to sanitation protocol to ensure the safety of the passengers. The use of face masks and hand sanitizer as well as the practice of social distancing are crucial measures that the passengers took seriously, RAM said.

According to state media, the Dakhla Airport manager Abdelmounaim Aoutoul confirmed that “this operation was carried out in compliance with preventive measures and the health protocol in force, in coordination with local authorities, National Security, Royal Gendarmerie, customs, and medical officials from the Ministry of Health.”

The provincial delegate of health of Dakhla-Oued-Eddahab, Issam Ahadi, told Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) that health officials performed COVID-19 screening tests on the 151 repatriates, checked their temperatures, and carefully examined them for symptoms of COVID-19.

Ahadi said the repatriates will be quarantined at hotels in Dakhla in accordance with the country’s precautionary measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

MAP reported that the newly repatriated citizens were expressing joy and relief after finally returning to their home country. They praised the efforts of the Dakhla Airport, health authorities, and the Moroccan Embassy in Mauritania.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant restriction on air travel. Morocco closed its borders to international travelers on March 15 and entered a state of emergency on March 20 to combat the spread of the virus.

An estimated 33,000 Moroccans were stranded abroad and separated from their families for months. Over the past few weeks, Morocco has worked to organize repatriation flights for its citizens.

Since May, Morocco has managed to repatriate thousands of nationals from the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, Algeria, mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, and Turkey.

The first group of Moroccans is set to return from Dubai on Monday and 3,180 nationals will return from France, the Netherlands, Tunisia, the UAE, Belgium, Senegal, and Italy this week.