عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Morocco's King Says Determined to React Against Any Security Threat

Morocco's King Mohammed VI (C), flanked by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid (R) and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, speaks to the nation, last July. (AFP)
Morocco's King Mohammed VI (C), flanked by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid (R) and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, speaks to the nation, last July. (AFP)
TT
TT

Morocco's King Says Determined to React Against Any Security Threat

Morocco's King Mohammed VI (C), flanked by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid (R) and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, speaks to the nation, last July. (AFP)
Morocco's King Mohammed VI (C), flanked by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid (R) and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, speaks to the nation, last July. (AFP)

Morocco's King Mohammed VI warned Monday that his country will respond in self-defense against any threat to his country's security. This came during a phone conversation the King held with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the situation in Guerguerat.

King Mohammed stressed that Morocco will take necessary measures to keep order and protect safety and fluidity of passenger and commercial traffic in border area between Morocco and Mauritania.

Morocco, however, also remains "firmly determined to react, with the greatest severity, and in self-defense, against any threat to its security,” the king said, quoted in an official statement.

"Morocco took its responsibility in line with its legitimate right after the UN Secretary-General failed in its laudable attempts to end the unacceptable acts of the Polisario," he noted.

Morocco will continue supporting UN efforts to find a political solution on the basis of clear criteria and with the participation of real parties to this regional conflict in order to find a realistic, feasible solution within Morocco’s sovereignty, he added.

“Morocco restored the situation, proceeded to a lasting settlement of the problem and guaranteed resumption of traffic flow.”

For its part, the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed support to Morocco in a tweet.

“The government of the Federal Republic of Somalia stands alongside the brotherly Kingdom of Morocco in all the measures it undertakes to protect its security and sovereignty over its territories at the Guerguerat crossing point between Morocco and Mauritania.”

Also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Gambia issued a press release on Monday to hail Morocco’s “peaceful and decisive intervention” to secure the region after Polisario and its supporters staged illegal protests in the region.

The West African country also said it supports the UN-led political process to find a political solution to the Western Sahara conflict.

Moreover, President of the Pan-African Parliament Roger Nkodo Dang has sent a letter to the African Union foreign ministers to draw their attention to the maneuvers of the 3rd Vice President of the PAP Jamal Bouras against the interests of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The authoritarian abuses of Bouras, who acts as the president without rotation, have created a serious institutional and functional crisis within the Pan-African Parliament, Dang underlined in the letter.

The president, blocked in Cameroon, stressed that all decisions, declarations, and actions taken outside what is provided for by the texts in force, cannot be considered as reflecting the position of the PAP or its legitimate bodies.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Hamas Official Says Miami Talks Must End Israel's Gaza Truce 'Violations'

12 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinians shop in a market in the middle of the destruction in Khan Younis, after the Israeli Forces withdrew as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
12 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinians shop in a market in the middle of the destruction in Khan Younis, after the Israeli Forces withdrew as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
TT
TT

Hamas Official Says Miami Talks Must End Israel's Gaza Truce 'Violations'

12 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinians shop in a market in the middle of the destruction in Khan Younis, after the Israeli Forces withdrew as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
12 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinians shop in a market in the middle of the destruction in Khan Younis, after the Israeli Forces withdrew as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

A top Hamas official said that talks in Miami on Friday to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must aim to end Israeli truce "violations" in the Palestinian territory.

"Our people expect these talks to result in an agreement to put an end to ongoing Israeli lawlessness, halt all violations and compel the occupation to abide by the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement," Hamas political bureau member, Bassem Naim, told AFP.

The United States is hosting the discussions, with President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, expected to meet senior officials from mediator countries Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in Florida to push for the second stage of the ceasefire deal.

Arab World

Egypt Signals Possible Activation of Joint Defense Pact to Safeguard Sudan’s Unity

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the reception of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on Thursday (Egyptian Presidency)
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the reception of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on Thursday (Egyptian Presidency)
TT
TT

Egypt Signals Possible Activation of Joint Defense Pact to Safeguard Sudan’s Unity

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the reception of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on Thursday (Egyptian Presidency)
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the reception of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on Thursday (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt has drawn explicit “red lines” regarding the conflict in Sudan, warning that any attempt to cross them would directly threaten Egyptian national security.

Cairo signaled it is prepared to take all measures permitted under the Joint Defense Agreement between the two countries, a position analysts describe as Cairo’s most forceful since the outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023.

The statement coincided with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi receiving on Thursday Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council.

El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s “full support for the Sudanese people in overcoming the current critical phase,” stressing Cairo’s unwavering commitment to Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, security, and stability, according to presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy.

During the visit, Egypt also renewed its support for US President Donald Trump’s vision for achieving peace and stability in Sudan, aligning with Washington’s broader approach to de-escalation and conflict resolution.

For the first time since the conflict began, Cairo publicly articulated non-negotiable red lines, stressing that Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity are inseparable from Egypt’s own national security. These red lines include preventing the partition of Sudan, protecting the country’s resources, and preserving its state institutions.

The Egyptian presidency underscored that safeguarding Sudan’s institutions is highly important and affirmed Egypt’s “full right to take all necessary measures under international law,” including the possible activation of the Joint Defense Agreement to prevent any violations.

Egypt and Sudan signed a military cooperation agreement in March 2021 covering training, border security, and countering shared threats, building on a Joint Defense Agreement concluded in 1976 to confront external dangers.

Maj. Gen. Yahya Kadwani, a member of Egypt’s parliamentary Committee on Defense and National Security, warned that efforts to divide Sudan necessitate firm red lines to protect Sudanese state assets and Egypt’s own security.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that invoking the joint defense pact signals strong coordination within international legitimacy and existing bilateral agreements.

The presidency said Egypt is deeply concerned by ongoing escalation in Sudan and the resulting “horrific massacres and flagrant violations of basic human rights,” particularly in El Fasher.

Cairo categorically rejected the creation or recognition of any parallel political or military entities, warning that such moves would undermine Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity.

Ambassador Salah Halima, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said Egyptian-Sudanese coordination aims to protect Egyptian, Sudanese, and Arab national security, noting that both countries are members of the Council of Red Sea Coastal States, which plays a strategic role in defense and development.

He added that Egypt’s stance aligns with the International Quartet initiative and a proposal advanced by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the United States.

The roadmap calls for a three-month humanitarian truce, integration of the Rapid Support Forces into the Sudanese Armed Forces, and preservation of military cohesion.

The Quartet, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, proposed last August a plan for a three-month humanitarian ceasefire, followed by a permanent cessation of hostilities and a political process leading to an independent civilian government within nine months.

Al-Burhan’s visit to Cairo followed talks in Saudi Arabia, where he affirmed Sudan’s readiness to work with Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US envoy Massad Boulos to end the war.

Amani Al-Tawil, Director of the Africa Program at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said Egypt’s position represents its strongest stance yet and aligns with Saudi and US calls to preserve Sudan’s unity, halt the war, reject parallel entities, and protect state institutions.

Arab World

Israel Considers Special Military Court to Seek Death Penalty for Hamas Fighters

A fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, affiliated with Hamas, oversees the search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, with the participation of Red Cross personnel, in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Dec. 1, 2025. (EPA) 
A fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, affiliated with Hamas, oversees the search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, with the participation of Red Cross personnel, in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Dec. 1, 2025. (EPA) 
TT
TT

Israel Considers Special Military Court to Seek Death Penalty for Hamas Fighters

A fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, affiliated with Hamas, oversees the search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, with the participation of Red Cross personnel, in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Dec. 1, 2025. (EPA) 
A fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, affiliated with Hamas, oversees the search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, with the participation of Red Cross personnel, in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Dec. 1, 2025. (EPA) 

Israel is weighing extraordinary legal measures that could result in the execution of up to 100 Hamas fighters accused of taking part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

Defense Minister Israel Katz and Justice Minister Yariv Levin have discussed the creation of a dedicated military court to try hundreds of members of Hamas’ elite “Nukhba” unit, part of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, according to Israeli media reports.

Officials familiar with the deliberations said the proposed court would have the authority to impose the death penalty, with military prosecutors expected to seek capital punishment for about 100 defendants facing the gravest charges.

Senior figures from the Israeli army and the Justice Ministry attended the talks, including Itai Ofir, the chief military prosecutor, the Times of Israel reported. Katz said Israel was determined to punish those responsible for the attack “in a way that leaves no ambiguity,” adding that anyone who harms Israeli civilians “will be held fully accountable.”

The discussions come shortly after the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, released updated principles for controversial legislation that would mandate the death penalty for those involved in the October 7 assault.

The bill, which passed an initial Knesset vote in November and is now being debated in the National Security Committee, would allow military courts to impose capital punishment on Palestinians by a simple majority of judges.

Military sources said Israel is holding about 450 Palestinian prisoners classified as Hamas “elite” fighters, far fewer than the thousands initially cited at the start of the war.

According to Israeli officials, prosecutors intend to seek death sentences, most likely by firing squad, after the Israeli Medical Association reportedly declined to take part in executions by lethal injection.

Channel 14 said the detainees are being held at a special military facility under heavy guard, in conditions that have drawn criticism from international human rights organizations.

Officials have spent nearly two years debating how to prosecute the suspects in a way that would ensure execution.

The preferred option, according to the report, is to conduct trials outside the regular judicial system in highly public proceedings, likened to the trial of Nazi official Adolf Eichmann, who was abducted by the Mossad in Argentina in 1960, tried by a special tribunal in Jerusalem, and executed in 1962.

Critics warned that such high-profile trials could become a platform for putting Israel itself on trial over events preceding Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Israeli authorities said they have compiled extensive evidence, including documents seized in Gaza, interrogations of detainees, and video footage recorded by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters during the attack.

The move comes amid rising tensions in Israeli prisons. Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi recently warned of a possible inmate uprising due to harsh conditions.

The Prison Service later said his comments were taken out of context, insisting its policies, which are overseen by Ben-Gvir, are effective and that it is prepared for “any scenario.”

More than 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including 3,360 in administrative detention without charge or trial. Palestinian prisoner groups say at least 110 detainees have died in custody since the war began, including 50 from Gaza.