End of Ordeal for Moroccans Stuck in Libya

The suffering of 338 Moroccans in Libyan detention centers came to an end with their arrival on board two Libyan Al Ifriqiyah airways planes, in Casablanca airport on Friday night, the ministry of Moroccans living abroad and migrant affairs said.

This repatriation operation is the third of its kind in five months, following the return to Morocco of 200 nationals on the eve of Eid Al Adha onboard Al Ifriqiyah and 235 others who were lifted by Morocco’s flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, the ministry said in a statement.

The repatriation took place in close coordination with Morocco’s foreign affairs Ministry, the Moroccan embassy in Tunis and different security services.

With the fall of IS in the Middle East, the terrorist group is shifting activity to war-torn Libya and the Sahel where like-minded group are roaming. The increasing presence of IS in Libya is putting pressure on Moroccan security services in scrutinizing the profiles of the returnees from Libya to avert an infiltration by terrorists.