UK updates travel advice : Morocco seen as safer than neighboring countries
The United Kingdom regularly assesses the security situation in the Maghreb to provide travel recommendations for its citizens. According to the British government, the threat level in Morocco is increasing due to the presence of Daesh sympathizers and members of other extremist groups. Authorities frequently dismantle terrorist cells.
The latest counterterrorism operation took place on February 19, with security services conducting simultaneous raids in Tangier, Fez, Azemmour, Guercif, Ouled Teima, and Tamesna, a suburb of Rabat, reads a Foreign travel advice on Morocco by the UK government. Twelve suspects, aged 18 to 40, were arrested.
London also warns British travelers about the possibility of demonstrations and protests across Morocco, particularly in major cities, sometimes without prior notice. While authorized protests are generally peaceful, unauthorized ones can escalate into clashes with law enforcement, potentially disrupting travel. However, the British government notes that no foreign tourists have been reported kidnapped in Morocco.
In Algeria, the UK's security warnings take on a different tone. «You should remain vigilant at all times and follow specific advice and direction of the local security authorities», the Foreign Office advises Britons traveling to Algeria. The terrorist threat is higher in certain regions, particularly near the southern borders, where kidnapping risks are concentrated, as well as along the Libyan and Tunisian borders, in northern rural areas, and in the Sahara.
To reinforce its message, the British government provided a list of terrorist attacks carried out by extremist groups between 2019 and 2021, which targeted Algerian military personnel.
British authorities also highlight the risk of kidnapping by armed groups operating in North Africa, particularly from Libya, Mauritania, and the Sahel. Groups affiliated with AQIM and Daesh can move across the region's porous borders, increasing the threat in remote desert areas, especially along Algeria's southern and eastern borders with Mali and Libya. As a reminder, a Spanish tourist was kidnapped on January 14 in Algeria by a Malian armed group.
Tunisia also falls under the UK's travel warnings, especially along the Libyan border and certain areas near Algeria, which are considered high-risk.
Additionally, the British government reminds travelers that land borders between Algeria and Morocco have been closed since August 1994, warning: «Do not attempt to cross them».
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