Red Cross says ‘deeply concerned’ with impact of Israeli operation in West Bank

RABAT: Morocco’s counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attacks against national and international targets in the country by a 12-member cell loyal to Daesh in the Sahel.
The operation underscores the threat emanating from extremist militancy in the Sahel, as groups linked to Daesh and Al-Qaeda expand activity in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The suspects, arrested in nine different cities, had been receiving orders from a Libyan leader of Daesh, the head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, Habboub Cherkaoui, told reporters.
The suspects, aged 18 to 40, have been radicalized online, Cherkaoui said, adding that most of them had “occasional jobs.”
The group, which branded itself “the Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb Al Aqsa (Morocco),” was planning remotely controlled bomb attacks, he said.
Explosive devices and chemical substances were found during the operation, in addition to a weapons cache including automatic firearms and handguns, in the south-eastern region of Errachidia near the Algerian borders, Cherkaoui said.
The seized weapons and ammunition had been supplied by the Daesh leader via smugglers, he said. The operation “confirms that the African branches of IS tend to internationalize their activities,” Cherkaoui said, adding that the nexus between “terrorist groups and criminal networks is a real threat” to Morocco and Europe. In recent years, Daesh branches in Africa have recruited more than 130 Moroccan fighters, Cherkaoui said. Since its establishment in 2015, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations has dismantled dozens of militant cells and arrested more than 1,000 suspected extremists.
The last extremist attack in the country was in 2023, when three individuals loyal to Daesh killed a Moroccan policeman in Casablanca.

RIYADH: Japan at an event in Riyadh on Monday finalized an agreement to grant 642 million yen ($4.29 million) to improve children’s education in Yemen.

The two-year project will prioritize rehabilitating educational infrastructure and providing psychosocial support in Yemen’s Taiz Governorate.

The agreement was signed by Yoichi Nakashima, Japan’s ambassador to Yemen, and Peter Hawkins, UNICEF’s representative in Yemen.

The ceremony was also attended by Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan and Yemeni Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mustafa Noman.

In a speech Nakashima underscored the urgency of the initiative, stating that the ongoing war in Yemen has created a dire humanitarian situation, leaving nearly 3.2 million children unable to attend school.

He elaborated on Taiz’s critical needs in an interview with Arab News: “This program, through UNICEF, addresses the unique challenges caused by the war as Taiz has been at the forefront of conflict zones.”

Nakashima added that their project targets those outside the formal system while supporting facility rehabilitation and teacher training.

“This project includes the renovation of many educational facilities, support for at-risk, school-age children, and enhanced teacher training, with a focus on psychological care,” Nakashima added.

He emphasized that Taiz’s families are “deeply committed to learning despite years of instability,” noting the region’s historical significance as a cultural and academic hub.

Hawkins highlighted the long-term vision, telling Arab News the agreement would equip children with “fundamentals like numeracy and literacy” to pursue formal education or build livelihoods.

Yemen’s education system has faced severe disruption due to the war, with infrastructure damage and economic instability exacerbating dropout rates.

Hawkins said that life skills training would empower children to “find their avenue forward,” emphasizing sustainability beyond immediate interventions.