New York - Casablanca authorities have deployed 25,000 members of the armed forces across the city on Thursday evening to protect the New Year festivities from potential terrorist threats.
The 25,000 security group is reportedly composed of military, national security, the Royal Gendarmerie and the Auxiliary Forces officials, according to Le360 news website.
This large number of officials will be in uniform as well as undercover, guarding sensitive sites such as the Corniche, which is reportedly experiencing record attendance.
Tourist areas, entertainment establishments and major infrastructures, such as the airport and railway stations will also be protected.
This 25,000 men mobilization in Casablanca represents 25 percent of all armed personnel deployed throughout Morocco.
On Wednesday, Moroccan daily Assabah revealed that “100,000 armed officers will be deployed throughout the kingdom to secure the New Year festivities.”
According to the same source, specialized units have also been deployed throughout Morocco’s economic capital.
Explosive experts and NBC unit personnel to thwart any nuclear, biological and chemical threats are in place. Canine units (police dog brigades) are also present in crucial areas with dogs trained to detect explosives.
In addition, the Casablanca police department is launching their new police vehicles seen patrolling the city streets today, Le360 reported.
To protect the country from any possible terrorist infiltration, security will be tightened around all national borders, the Assabah said.
A command center has been set up within the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) to oversee the mobilization within the various armed forces, whether by land, air or sea.
Morocco’s intelligence services, including the Moroccan General Directorate of National Security (DGNS), the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), the General Directorate of Studies and Documentation (DGED), and the Royal Gendarmerie, will work in cooperation with the FAR command center.
In comparison to other countries’ security mobilization, France has only deployed 60,000 armed officers to protect the country on New Year’s Eve.
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