Many Moroccan Fighters Killed in Lattakia Battles

Local Editor

The Saudi pan-Arab daily "a-Sharq al-Awsat [The ] Middle East" devoted some of its Monday coverage to tackle the issue of Moroccan fighters in Syria.

Under the title "Moroccan Families Receive Phone Calls that Confirm Death of Sons in Syria," the newspaper highlighted that many Moroccan militants were killed in Lattakia clashes.
According to the report, more than a dozen of Moroccans were killed during Lattakia battles that took place a few days ago.

"Some of the militants are well-known Salafi figures in Morocco," the daily mentioned and noted that some of their pictures are being published by "Facebook" pages and extremist websites.

In this context, the former prisoner in Guantanamo prison, Mohammed al-Alami Slimani, was killed in Lattakia battles. In 2006, the man was handed to Morocco and was later released from prison in 2011 under a royal pardon to some Salafi figures.
Slimani is one of the most prominent activists, of the so-called "The Joint Committee for Defending the Islamist Detainees in Fas."

Meanwhile, a rights activist confirmed to the daily that wounded Moroccans contacted their families from Syria, and discussed the possibility of returning to their country.
"The militants fear being arrested by the Moroccan authorities," the source said, and mentioned that "the conditions of the wounded in Syria's east coast are bad."

However, the source pointed out that the return of these fighters will force the Moroccan government to establish a program for the rehabilitation and reintegration of these militants into society after their participation in the fighting in Syria.

Source: Al-Ahed news