About 300 Moroccan jihadists killed in last two years

Approximately 300 Moroccans involved with jihadist movements have been killed in the last two years, AFP reported the Moroccan Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad as saying.

Speaking to reporters, Hassad said: “Today, there are 1,350 Moroccan jihadists. Since the first departures in 2013, the number of deaths is around 300, exactly 286.”

He added: “This number is too high. It means that around one fourth of the people who left the country were killed in one and a half years… Those who travel there, they travel to die.”

Hassad explained: “More than 30 [jihadist] networks were dismantled since 2013. A large number of them were recruiting… Twelve networks were dissolved in the last 12 months.”

The minister described the danger of an attack on Moroccan soil as “real” and reiterated that the country “is doing everything to undermine this danger.”

He stressed that “Morocco is a potential target of ISIS”, noting that his country has a record in fighting terror.

“We will continue this policy,” he said, stressing Morocco maintains cooperation with European countries to tackle this problem.