Morocco Strengthens Counter-Terrorism Efforts in the Sahel

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance regional security, Morocco, in collaboration with the United States and France, plans to build a military airport in the far south of the Moroccan Sahara.

According to the Spanish newspaper La Razón, the objective of this project is to conduct aerial operations using drones and fighter jets against terrorist strongholds in the Sahel, where threats to regional and global stability are increasing.

Experts warn of the rising influence of jihadist groups in West Africa, turning the region into a « new Afghanistan. » Groups such as ISIS in the Greater Sahara and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin are highly active.

Terrorist organizations exploit the fragility of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—three countries targeted by Moroccan military operations—taking advantage of security vacuums to launch repeated attacks.

According to informed sources, military operations from the new airbase will be coordinated with local authorities, reinforcing international security cooperation.

Morocco is seen as a crucial barrier preventing terrorist groups from spreading into Europe and using the Sahel as a launchpad for attacks.

This initiative follows the Moroccan security forces’ successful dismantling of several terrorist plots, including the arrest of 12 suspects linked to ISIS in the Greater Sahara across nine Moroccan cities and the seizure of weapons and explosives in Errachidia near the Algerian border.

Geostrategy and security expert Cherkaoui Roudani notes that terrorist groups consider Morocco a key target in their plans to destabilize the region.

The military airport project represents a decisive step in the fight against terrorism, reaffirming Morocco’s commitment to regional and international security.