Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday urged North African countries to work together against terrorism following this week’s suicide bombings in Algiers and Casablanca.
”We are ready to work with all the leaders of the five Maghreb states to ensure the protection of our people and our countries, and protect against the risks and perils of them turning into a hideous and awful base for terrorism,” he said in a condolence message to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Two suicide car bombings in Algiers on Wednesday killed 33 people and injured more than 220. Al-Qaeda’s branch in North Africa, formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), claimed responsibility.
The day before, three suicide bombers blew themselves up and a fourth was killed by police in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, fuelling regional fears of a resurgence in militant activity following crackdowns by North African governments.
In his condolence message, Mohammed VI expressed his ”strong condemnation” of the Algiers attacks, which he termed ”odious terrorist acts that go against all religions and all laws”.
”We are all targets, and all those in the world who believe in religious values and in democratic norms, especially those advocating Islam, today constitute a potential target,” the king said.
Earlier in the week, he had visited the Casablanca hospital where the victims of Tuesday’s blasts were being treated.
Meanwhile, the Casablanca security forces were on guard on Friday against any further attacks on the port city, where the country’s first suicide bombings took place in May 2003, killing 45 people including the 12 bombers.
”We are always vigilant, we are continuing our investigations and the extent of the police currently in Casablanca proves our great determination,” a top security official said.
In the commercial el-Farah neighbourhood where the bombs went off, dozens of apartment blocks remained empty on Friday, their residents having fled after the attacks. Many shops were also closed.
One family decided to move house to help their little girl recover from the shock of the explosions, which they said had left her mute and refusing to eat.
Elsewhere, the police continued to question a person held in the area on Thursday. A police source said the man ”had gone into a house and threatened to blow himself up if the occupants did not give him something to eat”.
”However, he was not carrying an explosive charge and was neutralised by security services, before being taken in for questioning,” the source said. — Sapa-AFP