Publication

This commentary looks at the challenges Morocco now faces from returning jihadists who’ve fought for the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria. The text's author first describes how until 2014 Moroccan authorities were content to see their homegrown jihadists leave the country and oppose the Assad regime. However, since the dramatic rise of IS and the return of war-hardened radicals to Morocco, Rabat has adopted a more hardline, security-oriented approach. What's really needed, the author concludes, is a comprehensive strategy that stresses de-radicalization, reintegration, and anti-militant propaganda.