Two killed in Morocco as protests escalate (VIDEO)

The authorities say more than 260 police officers were injured and over 160 vehicles damaged as the unrest entered its fifth day

Two people were killed and several more were injured in Leqliaa, near the city of Agadir, after Moroccan security forces opened fire during an attempted raid on a gendarmerie post, local news agencies report, citing the authorities.

The Prefecture of Inezgane Ait Melloul said the incident occurred on Wednesday, when protesters attempted to storm the premises of the territorial brigade of the Royal Gendarmerie. The attackers, reportedly armed with bladed weapons and stones, sought to seize ammunition, service weapons, and equipment from the facility.

Initial attempts to disperse the assailants using tear gas failed. 

As the group was reinforced by additional participants, they managed to breach the building, seize four motorcycles and a vehicle, and set parts of the brigade’s property on fire. Faced with what they described as an imminent threat, gendarmerie officers used their firearms “in self-defense,” resulting in two fatalities and additional injuries.

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The nationwide unrest is now in its fifth day. What began as youth-led demonstrations calling for better public services has grown into rioting, vandalism, and attacks on state institutions, according to officials and local media.

Groups such as ‘GenZ 212’ have coordinated the protests via TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. Another network, Morocco Youth Voices, also urged people to take to the streets, framing the protests as peaceful assemblies intended to spark debate over social policy.  

Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, also the mayor of Agadir, rejected claims that spending on the 2030 FIFA World Cup is diverting funds from essential services. He said the government has increased health spending and is building new hospitals, but acknowledged long-standing problems at Agadir’s main facility.

READ MORE: Youth protests sweep across Moroccan cities

According to MAP news agency, citing Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi, protesters have increasingly used Molotov cocktails, stones, and knives against law enforcement. El Khalfi reported 263 police injured, 23 civilian casualties, and damage to more than 160 vehicles, along with arson and looting at banks, government offices, and shops in several cities including Agadir, Oujda, and Tiznit.