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Morocco's BCIJ Dismantles ISIS-Linked Cell

Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
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Morocco's BCIJ Dismantles ISIS-Linked Cell

Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) busted on Friday a five-member terrorist cell in Safi, a city located in Western Morocco. The cell included a former detainee jailed for his involvement in terror-related charges with ISIS.

The suspects are aged between 21-36 Morocco’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

Investigations by the Security services found that the suspects had pledged allegiance to ISIS and were planning to join fighters in Syrian and Iraqi combat zones in coordination with members on the ground.

The suspects were also planning terror plots to undermine the security and stability of Morocco.

The BCIJ seized several electronic devices and knives, in addition to radicalized scripts, added the statement.

According to the ministry, one of the suspects “attempted to exploit his presence in a sub-Saharan country to obtain sponsors to join a group affiliated to ISIS, which is active in the Sahel region.

Police have put the suspects in custody for further investigations.

Since December 2018, BCIJ has arrested 918 people for terror-related crimes, including 14 women and 29 minors.

The number of terror cells and suspects for terror-related crimes has increased in Morocco. BCIJ has been especially active in the first two months of 2019, arresting a number of Isis-linked terrorism suspects between January and February.

In January, the bureau dismantled a 13-member terror cell for their alleged ISIS ties.

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Syrian Army Takes Control of Tishrin Dam from SDF

Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
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Syrian Army Takes Control of Tishrin Dam from SDF

Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)

Syrian army troops have deployed near the Tishrin Dam in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, setting up military positions in what appears to be a step toward assuming control of the facility from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Pro-government broadcaster Syria TV cited an official source on Monday as saying the military had entered the outskirts of the Tishrin Dam area and established military outposts in preparation for a handover of the strategic site.

The dam, located near the city of Manbij, has been under the control of the Kurdish-led SDF, which played a key role in the fight against ISIS in northern Syria with the backing of the US-led coalition.

Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement on March 10 aimed at integrating all civil and military institutions of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northern and northeastern Syria into the Syrian state.

Syrian authorities, the SDF, and Türkiye had reached an agreement, brokered by the United States, for the transfer of the Tishrin Dam to the Syrian government.

Under the deal, the military will deploy forces around the dam, while teams from Damascus have already begun maintenance and upgrading works on the facility.

The agreement aims to bring an end to the fighting that had erupted between Syrian factions loyal to Türkiye, which have integrated into the Syrian army, and the SDF. The clashes, which had persisted for over three months since December 12, have now subsided.

On Thursday, Türkiye’s Ministry of Defense announced that Ankara is closely monitoring the implementation of the agreement regarding the handover of the dam.

The deployment of Syrian forces around the dam comes amid reports of renewed tensions in the area, which had been relatively calm for nearly a month. Syria’s state-run Syria TV reported that the military had sent reinforcements to areas previously affected by clashes with the SDF.

Additionally, reports said the SDF and Syrian forces were on alert after Turkish drones launched an attack near the dam, following the death of a fighter from Türkiye-backed factions in the region. The situation continues to evolve as both sides remain on edge in the strategic area.