Morocco uncovers suspected arms cache linked to dismantled ISIS-linked cell

Ya Biladi

21-02-2025

Investigations by the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) into a dismantled ISIS-linked terrorist cell in the Sahel have uncovered evidence of a mountainous area suspected of being used as a base to store weapons and ammunition for planned attacks.
Using technical expertise and satellite geolocation, authorities analyzed coordinates and geographical data seized during the investigation. This led to the identification of the suspected site in the province of Errachidia, specifically on the eastern bank of Oued Guir at «Tal Mzil», in the commune and Caïdat of Oued El Naam, in the Boudenib region, near the Kingdom's eastern border, according to a press release from the Pôle DGSN-DGST.
Field inspections and geographical sweeps confirmed that the site is located at the foot of a rocky hill with difficult, unpaved access, necessitating the deployment of specialized logistical equipment to facilitate access and conduct the required searches and inspections.
In accordance with security protocols for terrorist threats—particularly in locations suspected of storing weapons and explosives—the BCIJ utilized specialized explosive-detection canine units, metal detectors, substance identification devices, explosive-detection robots, and an X-ray scanner.
Search and combing operations, which lasted over three hours, uncovered a cache of weapons and ammunition buried in a remote area at the base of the rocky hill. The cache was concealed in plastic bags and wrapped in Malian newspapers, including weeklies dated January 27, 2025.
The seized weapons included a Kalashnikov rifle with two ammunition magazines, two additional rifles, ten pistols of various calibers, and a large quantity of cartridges and bullets.
The weapons and ammunition were carefully documented and sealed before being sent to the Laboratoire National de la Police Scientifique for ballistic and forensic analysis.
Investigations thus far indicate that the weapons were supplied by a senior ISIS leader in the Sahel, responsible for external operations. These arms were transported through illicit trafficking networks before being hidden at the logistical base. The Daech leader then transmitted the location's coordinates to the «coordinators» of the terrorist cell dismantled on Wednesday, instructing them to retrieve the weapons for use in planned attacks.
Meanwhile, BCIJ investigations are ongoing, under the supervision of the relevant public prosecutor's office, to uncover the full extent of the terrorist cell's network and its links to Daech's African branch in the Sahel.