Moroccan king orders security forces to withdraw from Al Hoceima

AL HOCEIMA, MOROCCO – JUNE 2 : Protesters from Rif movement clash with security forces during a demonstration against government in Imzouren town near Al Hoceima city of Morocco on June 2, 2017. ( Jalal Morchidi – Anadolu Agency )

Moroccan King Mohammed VI has instructed security forces to withdraw from the northern cities of Al Hoceima and Imzouren after violent clashes erupted between police and protesters in the region.

“Following royal directives, the law enforcement officers have withdrawn,” Al Hoceima’s new governor, Farid Chourak, said at a press conference on Monday.

Read: Protests resume in Morocco after heavy handed response by government

He added that if the protesters reacted positively to this initiative, the authorities “will offer other initiatives”.

“Confidence and security are linked … we reach a normal atmosphere, where everyone can exercise his public freedoms and fulfill his demands in a civilised and institutional way,” he added.

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“In a normal environment, the state will also be able to exercise its powers to establish security,” he said.

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