Morocco travel advice: Foreign Office warns UK tourists of heightened terror threat
Morocco has a heightened threat of terrorism, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The FCO updated its travel advice on 20 March to “reflect an increased threat” of terrorism in the north African country.
“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Morocco. You should be vigilant at all times,” reads the new travel advisory.
The advice follows the murders of two women who were hiking in the Atlas Mountains in December.
In April 2011, 17 people were killed and 25 injured in a large explosion caused by a bomb in Marrakech at the Argana Restaurant in Djema el-Fna Square.
The Moroccan authorities have warned of an increased threat linked to the number of Moroccans sympathetic or belonging to Daesh (formerly known as ISIL) and other extremist groups, and regularly report the disruption of terrorist cells across the country, according to the FCO.
Some of these cells have intended to carry out attacks in Morocco against government installations, public spaces and tourist sites.
The FCO warns that attacks could be indiscriminate or target foreigners.
Protective security measures, including security personnel, may be visible in areas including hotels and popular tourist sites.
However, despite the updated advisory, the FCO doesn’t currently advise against travel to anywhere in Morocco, other than the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
“Around 650,000 visitors from the UK come to Morocco every year,” reads its travel summary. “Most visits are trouble-free.”
