Morocco is a 'critical partner' in countering violent extremism, says US official

Morocco is “a critical partner” in the fight against violent extremism, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dana Stroul said Monday.

“Morocco is a critical partner, sharing US interests and goals in the fight against violent extremism and addressing, not only in the Sahel but across Africa, the conditions that give rise to the expansion of ISIS,” she said at a digital press conference on advances in the fight against the terrorist organization.

“These are areas that we continue to focus on, and we are partnering not only with our partners, but also with the State Department and other departments to address them on a daily basis,” she continued.

“There is also active thinking and planning with our partners in the Sahel about how we work together to fight Daech in the region,” the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense said.

She added that “these are constant areas of communication and work that the U.S., again, is focused on working with our critical allies and partners.”

For his part, U.S. Army Major General Matthew McFarlane, commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, said that since the beginning of this year in Iraq – from Jan. 1 to the first week of April – there has been a 68 percent decrease in attacks by Daech compared to the same period last year. In Syria, he reported a 55% drop.

“This past Ramadan has been one of the most peaceful in years thanks to the combined efforts of our partners,” the U.S. military official praised.

In its latest report on terrorism, the U.S. State Department noted that the U.S. and Morocco have “a long history of strong cooperation in the fight against terrorism.”

The Moroccan government has continued its comprehensive strategy in this area, which includes “vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies,” the document notes.