Morocco, in collaboration with the United States and France, is studying the possibility of building an airport in the far south of the Sahara to launch airstrikes against jihadist bases in the Sahel, according to
La Razón
.
The scheduled missions were set to include both drones and fighter jets, aimed at neutralizing extremist factions in the area.
Sources close to the initiative informed La Razón that these air strikes would occur with the consent of the involved nations—namely Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
The goal is to neutralize a growing security threat that poses a risk not only to these nations but also to Morocco, which jihadist groups see as an obstacle to their expansion towards Europe.
Recently, Moroccan intelligence agencies carried out operations in multiple cities, where they discovered a cache of weapons meant for assaults planned by a prominent leader affiliated with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS).
This operation thwarted several scheduled assaults and underscored the escalating security issues in the area.
Supported by French intelligence agency Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure, Morocco’s counter-terrorism unit Office for Counterterrorism thwarted a terror cell active across nine urban centers.
The authorities apprehended 12 individuals and confiscated a substantial stockpile of explosives, advanced weaponry, along with confidential files.
The materials were discovered at an undisclosed logistical facility in Errachidia, close to the Algerian frontier. It is said that this network was headed by the individual overseeing ISIS’s external activities in the Sahara region, tasked with orchestrating several assaults.
A geostrategic expert named Roudani Charkaoui informed LIFEHACKAr previously that extremist organizations view Morocco as a crucial target within their larger strategy aimed at destabilizing the area.
Cherkaoui stated that Morocco acts as the final defense before Europe, being essential in stopping extremist activities from crossing boundaries.
The post
Morocco, the United States, and France are contemplating constructing an airport in the Sahara region aimed at enhancing counter-terrorism efforts.
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