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Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff: Morocco Is a Major Partner to Washington

Milley speaks to the press in Rabat. (MAP)
Milley speaks to the press in Rabat. (MAP)
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Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff: Morocco Is a Major Partner to Washington

Milley speaks to the press in Rabat. (MAP)
Milley speaks to the press in Rabat. (MAP)

Morocco is a major partner and ally of the US and a stable country in a continent and region in search of stability, said Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley during a visit to Rabat on Sunday.

The US views Morocco as a partner and great ally, not only in the region, but also in the entire African continent, he told the press.

He highlighted the depth of relations between the two countries for over two centuries, expressing his Washington’s willingness to consolidate and expand these relations with Morocco, which was the first country to recognize the independence of the US.

Milley also commended the strong, concrete, and excellent military relations between the US and Morocco, citing the "African Lion" exercises that have been taking place for nearly 20 years, as well as many other issues related to regional security.

Milley, who is on a working visit to the Kingdom, met Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of the National Defense Administration Abdeltif Loudyi.

They discussed bilateral relations between the US and Morocco and their strategic military partnership.

Loudyi highlighted to the tripartite declaration signed between Morocco, the US, and Israel in December 2020 that will strengthen peace and stability in North Africa and the Middle East.

Moreover, he praised Washington’s recognition of Morocco’s full sovereignty over the Sahara.

Milley later met with Lieutenant General Belkhir El Farouk, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and Commander of the Southern Zone.

The officials expressed their satisfaction with the positive results of the Defense Advisory Committee. They reiterated their willingness to further strengthen cooperation and strategic partnership between their militaries.

The meeting was attended by the Chiefs of the General Staff of the FAR, senior US military officials, and the Ambassador of the US accredited to Rabat.

This being his first visit to the African continent as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Milley took this opportunity to highlight the important role played by Morocco under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, as an actor of stability and peace in Africa and the Middle East.

At the end of this meeting, Milley and Loudyi reiterated their determination to consolidate the historic and exemplary partnership between their countries.

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Former Regime Elements, Drug Traffickers Targeted in Western Homs and Damascus Campaigns

The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
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Former Regime Elements, Drug Traffickers Targeted in Western Homs and Damascus Campaigns

The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).

The Syrian Military Operations Administration has been pressing its security campaigns aimed at disarming former regime militia remnants and combating drug traffickers across Syria.

On Tuesday, for the third time, the administration, in collaboration with the General Security Directorate, launched a large-scale operation in western rural Homs. The campaign focused on the villages of Jabbourin Rafain, Al-Haysa, Jabbourin, Qaniyat Al-Assi, Tasnin, Kafrnan, Akrad Al-Dasniya, and their surroundings. Simultaneous campaigns were conducted in Aleppo’s Nairab district, Jaramana in the Damascus countryside, and northern Daraa.

Security sources said the operation in rural Homs targets “remnants of Assad militias who refused to surrender their weapons, arms depots, drug dealers, and traffickers,” according to an official statement from the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Military reinforcements were dispatched to support the campaign in the targeted areas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the operation in the village of Jabbourin in rural Hama marked the second such operation within a week. The observatory noted that several civilians and military personnel, including those who had reconciled with the government, were arrested. Some detainees were later released, while others remain under investigation.

Residents in rural Homs expressed significant concern about the proliferation of weapons, incidents of abductions, and the escalating fear of retribution. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, they noted a prevailing sense of unease and insecurity, as anonymous actors exploit the current chaos to fuel tensions and instability.

The General Security Directorate in Homs has urged residents in western rural Homs villages and towns to fully cooperate with its forces and the Military Operations Administration to ensure the success of the campaign’s objectives.

In Daraa, southern Syria, the Daraa 24 network reported that the General Security Directorate carried out a raid in the city of Izraa, north of Daraa. During the operation, large quantities of weapons were seized, and warnings were issued to individuals still in possession of firearms to surrender them “to preserve the region’s security and stability.”

An earlier security operation in the Lajat region, located between the Suwayda and Daraa governorates, resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals described as former regime remnants, drug traffickers, and arms dealers. The Syrian Interior Ministry also announced the arrest of “remnant elements and members of a gang involved in the theft of weapons from a warehouse in the Mazraa project area of Damascus.”

Meanwhile, the General Security Directorate released several former regime elements in Damascus after verifying their lack of involvement in violations against the Syrian people. According to local sources cited by Syrian Television, several conscripts detained in Adra Prison in Damascus were freed on Tuesday, with additional releases expected in the coming days.

Last week, the General Security Directorate released 360 detainees, including former regime officers, out of approximately 800 people arrested as part of the Homs security campaign. Following investigations, the authorities confirmed that those individuals were not in possession of weapons and had pledged not to engage in activities against the new Syrian administration.