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Morocco Launches COVID-19 Tracking Mobile Application

A taxi driver looks on before getting tested for the coronavirus in Morocco's capital Rabat. (AFP)
A taxi driver looks on before getting tested for the coronavirus in Morocco's capital Rabat. (AFP)
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Morocco Launches COVID-19 Tracking Mobile Application

A taxi driver looks on before getting tested for the coronavirus in Morocco's capital Rabat. (AFP)
A taxi driver looks on before getting tested for the coronavirus in Morocco's capital Rabat. (AFP)

Morocco’s Ministry of Health launched on Monday a COVID-19 tracking mobile phone application to help curb the spread of the pandemic in the country.

The Wiqaytna (Our Protection) app is part of a wide national awareness campaign, under the theme: “Stay vigilant, protect each other” aiming to encourage Moroccans to continue to adopt preventive measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The application is available on Google Play for Android phone users, on App Store for iPhone users, and on the website www.wiqaytna.ma for people using different operating systems.

It was developed as part of efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus to enhance the current system for tracking cases, which remains an effective and primary method.

The application uses Bluetooth technique to link two users when they are near each other, after which encrypted and anonymous information is shared between their smartphones.

If one of the users tests positive for COVID-19 in the 21 days following the contact, the other user will receive a notification, including a series of recommendations.

The Health Ministry developed the application in collaboration with the Interior Ministry, the Digital Development Agency (ADD), and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT), as well as some Moroccan companies.

The National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection (CNDP) tested the application to ensure it respects users’ privacy, and received its authorization. The application’s code is also available in open source on software development platforms.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health announced that 12 new coronavirus cases have been recorded, making it the lowest rate in weeks.

The country has 7,819 confirmed infections and 205 deaths.

It said 295 more patients have recovered, bringing the total to 5,754, and 18 cases were admitted to intensive care.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.