Morocco Repatriates 8 Nationals from Syrian Conflict Zones, Citing Humanitarian Concerns

Citing "a humanitarian nature", the Ministry of the Interior says it is fulfilling the responsibility of protecting nationals and thus contributing "to international efforts to combat terrorism".

And to affirm that this repatriation operation has allowed the Moroccans to "return to their country of origin in complete safety", while specifying that they will be the subject of judicial investigations for their involvement in acts related to terrorism "under the supervision of the competent Prosecutor’s Office".

According to figures revealed by the head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) Abdelhak Khiame, 1,600 Moroccans were fighting in 2016 within the various terrorist groups in Syria, including 758 who had joined Daesh and several dozen others Harakat Cham Al Islam or Jabhat Al Nosra.

It should be noted that US President Donald Trump had put pressure on his allies to repatriate the women and children of jihadists currently stranded in Syria and Iraq.