Morocco: 16 soldiers to be tried for committing ‘grave mistakes’ near Algeria border 

The Moroccan military gendarmerie in the eastern region has referred 16 soldiers of varying ranks working in the Ain Bni Mathar area near the Oujda province to the Military Court in Rabat for “violating” general military instructions and refusing to comply with orders, Morocco’s Assabah newspaper reported.

The paper said the Public Prosecution had questioned the detained soldiers and referred them to the court for further investigation.

For its part, the court has ordered 13 soldiers to be held in pretrial detention in the military wing of Al-Arjat Prison, while three others were granted temporary release.

The newspaper added that the soldiers had committed “serious criminal acts” during the exercise of their duties as border guards in the eastern region, noting that investigation will continue over the coming weeks.

The paper cited sources as saying that the public prosecution has ordered the use of “technical experts” to uncover the detainees’ crimes. No further details were given.

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