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Morocco: Calls for Protests Monday to Support Jerada Detainees

Citizens protest in Jerada for development. Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic.
Citizens protest in Jerada for development. Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic.
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Morocco: Calls for Protests Monday to Support Jerada Detainees

Citizens protest in Jerada for development. Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic.
Citizens protest in Jerada for development. Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic.

The local committee entrusted with backing Jerada movement, east Morocco, called for protests on Monday infront of the Palace of Justice to support the detainees. The committee demanded that responsible authorities respond to social requests and provide adequate conditions for a dialogue.

Meanwhile, the US Consulate General in Casablanca urged American citizens in Morocco to avoid traveling to Jerada. Based on Media reports, the American mission in the Kingdom wrote that "numerous demonstrations and protests continue to occur in Jerada on regular basis and there have been reports of confrontations between security forces and demonstrators."

In the same context, Morocco's Unified Socialist Party expressed support to the popular movement in Jerada.

In a statement, the party rejected the policy of promises that is adopted by the authorities in tackling the demands. The Unified Socialist Party asserted that any serious dialogue should be paired with a real development strategy, as this is the correct choice to save the region from marginalization and shortage in all fields

In its turn, the Democratic Way described the intervention of security forces in Jerada as a hasty step, demanding prompt release of detainees and refusing the charges against it of provoking people to protest.

The Moroccan government addressed the protests in ts weekly meeting on Thursday.

Ministry of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit presented a brief about the historic development of the city since the liquidation of Jerada charcoal kilns company in 1998, and the latest updates as well as the visit of the prime minister to the region.

Commenting on the clashes, Laftit said that they left injured, most of them from the security forces. Further, five vehicles were burned and other vehicles and equipment were damaged.

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As Syrian Opposition Sweep into Aleppo, Army Closes Airport and Roads

A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
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As Syrian Opposition Sweep into Aleppo, Army Closes Airport and Roads

A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)

Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday, three military sources told Reuters, as the groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said they had reached the heart of Aleppo.
The opposition fighters, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, carried out a surprise sweep through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after having been forced out by Assad and his allies.
Russia, one of Assad's key allies, has promised Damascus extra military aid to thwart the opposition, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours.
The Syrian army has been told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from the main areas of the city that the opposition have entered, three army sources said.
The fighters began their incursion on Wednesday and by late Friday an operations room representing the offensive said they were sweeping through various neighbourhoods of Aleppo.
They are returning to the city for the first time since 2016, when Assad and his allies Russia, Iran, and regional Shi'ite militias retook it, with the insurgents agreeing to withdraw after months of bombardment and siege.
Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza opposition brigade, said their speedy advance this week had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East.
The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air force on areas in opposition-held Idlib, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army.
Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkiye, which supports the opposition, had given a green light to the offensive.
But Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said on Friday that Turkiye sought to avoid greater instability in the region and had warned recent attacks undermined de-escalation agreements.
The attack is the biggest since March 2020, when Russia and Turkiye agreed to a deal to de-escalate the conflict.
CIVILIANS KILLED IN FIGHTING
On Friday, Syrian state television denied opposition had reached the city and said Russia was providing Syria's military with air support.
The Syrian military said it was fighting back against the attack and had inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib.
David Carden, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, said: "We're deeply alarmed by the situation unfolding in northwest Syria."
"Relentless attacks over the past three days have claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians, including children as young as 8 years old."
Syrian state news agency SANA said four civilians including two students were killed on Friday in Aleppo by insurgent shelling of university student dormitories. It was not clear if they were among the 27 dead reported by the UN official.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Moscow regarded the attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty.
"We are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said.