On Wednesday night in the town of Leqliaa, a violent and coordinated assault on a Royal Gendarmerie outpost forced officers to open fire in self-defense. The confrontation left two attackers dead and several others injured.
The incident occurred overnight on October 1, according to local officials from the Inezgane Aït Melloul prefecture. Groups of individuals launched the attack by hurling stones at the gendarmerie’s territorial headquarters. Officers initially responded with tear gas, temporarily dispersing the crowd.
However, the situation quickly escalated. The assailants returned in larger numbers, this time armed with bladed weapons. They managed to breach the premises, stealing a vehicle and four motorcycles before setting them on fire. Part of the building was also torched. According to authorities, the attackers attempted to seize official firearms, ammunition, and other police equipment.
With the violence spiraling out of control, gendarmes resorted to live ammunition to protect themselves and their station. Two attackers were fatally shot, and several others sustained injuries during the assault.
A judicial investigation has since been launched under the supervision of the appropriate prosecutor’s office. The inquiry aims to determine the exact circumstances of the attack and to identify all those responsible for this serious breach of security.
