Taroudant, Morocco - An Algerian group linked to the Islamic state (IS), also knows as ISIS claimed it has kidnapped a French citizen on Sunday in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, and threatened to execute him unless Paris halts its air attacks in Iraq against IS.

In a video released Monday by the group, Hervé Gourdel, 55-year-old from Nice, said he has been abducted by a group called Soldiers of the Caliphate ("Jund al-Khilafa"), which pledges allegiance to the jihadist organization of the Islamic state.

The French hostage, who arrived in Algeria on September 20 and was reportedly abducted a day later by “Jund al-Khilafa”, is pleading the French president “to do all that he could to free him.”

"I am in the hands of Jund al-Khilifa. This group is asking me to ask you [Hollande] to not intervene in Iraq. I ask you to do everything to get me out of this bad situation and I thank you," Gourdel, who was filmed sitting between two armed and masked men, said.

Laurent Fabius, France's foreign minister, was quoted by Aljazeera as saying, "We will do everything we can to liberate hostages," "But a terrorist group cannot change France's position," the minister added.

The Kidnappers threaten to execute him in twenty-four hours if France led new raids in Iraq. The French government has not confirmed the authenticity of the video yet, but it was confirmed by a specialized website, according to Lemonde.fr

Majid Morcelli

San Francisco- Morocco is not helping its sacred cause by asking Algeria to be part of the solution. Just as Morocco will never accept losing one inch of its Sahara, Algeria too will never allow itself to lose the fight against Morocco.

The Moroccan Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs Mbarka Bouaida said that “Algeria is a direct party to the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara and should involve itself in the search for a solution to this problem.” Asking the Algerians to be part of the solution, and get actively involved in the negotiations, however, is nothing short of telling the Algerians to raise the white flag and admit that the conflict is between Morocco and Algeria, something the Algerians obviously will never do.

Besides, the Algerians are not in any position to give up any piece of the fight to the Moroccans. They have repeatedly stated that they have no interest in the Sahara, and their main concern is to see international law prevail. The Algerians don’t feel that they need Morocco, or even the Maghreb in general, economically. They believe that any Maghreb Union will only serve Morocco, and they instead favor dual agreements such as the preferential trade exchange agreement with Tunisia. It’s their way of keeping a firm hold on the economy.

Moroccan officials are not naïve when they make the statements above, those are merely tactics to place Algeria on the spot. But there is a problem with such tactics. They are simply outdated and have already been used by Morocco and they have not produced any positive result. The whole world knows that Algeria is the creator and the maintainer of the Polisario, what does Morocco gain from repeating something that is already known?

While these statements get picked up by the news media in both countries and are used for or against the other, it does not change the reality on the ground.

What Morocco needs to do is something it has not tried in the past: implementing the changes in the Sahara instead of asking its foes to change.

As much as I like Morocco’s foreign policy going on the offensive in the international arena, and inasmuch as aI think that this new direction taken by the king of Morocco is a good start, it is not enough to have an impact neither in the present nor in the future. We need more than challenging the Algerians in regard of the Kabylie region as was the case when the charge d'affaires of Morocco in Geneva, Hassan Boukili said that "Algeria systematically violates these rights and freedoms in Kabyle and Mozabite territories and in the Tindouf camps"

While it makes us feel good that Morocco is finally challenging the Algerians on the human rights issue, by pointing out that Algeria is no angel when it comes to human rights, and should correct the problem in their own backyard before asking Morocco to do so, it is not a deal breaker. We need to do and say things that have some serious impact and not be content with the tit for tat game.

Moroccan decision makers should aim for something drastic to change the course, and go for the knockout punch. I can think of no better punch than giving a real chance to the autonomy proposal that the state has championed but never had the will nor the courage to actually implement.

Morocco’s autonomy proposal calls for decentralizing authority to the people and institutions of the Western Sahara, so that they may manage their own affairs. Can you imagine the effects of a palpable autonomy on the region when people have their say without interference from the central government?

Sahraouis are tired of more of the same talk with no action. They have been hearing the same song for decades now, and they are still waiting for a lasting solution. As a matter of fact, all Moroccans are waiting. While the Algerian regime can afford to squander its oil revenues that could be used on the people of Algeria, Morocco does not have the luxury of matching Algeria’s big spending. We have other urgent needs.

As if the dispute with Morocco is not enough, the Algerians are getting deeply involved in the Malian and Libyan crisis. This is what a military regime does; it thrives on wars and conflicts.

In 2008, King Mohammed VI announced his intention to implement regionalization in the Western Sahara. Six years later, nothing has happened except for Algeria continuing to be the only hurdle to peace. Algeria is not the only obstacle; Morocco is also to blame for its lack of determination to solve the Western Sahara problem. Waiting on Algeria to have a change of heart is not a solution; this wishful thinking will never take place. I would be very surprised if the decision makers in Morocco are not already fully aware of this fact. The last presidential elections in Algeria should be a clear indicator that Algeria with Bouteflika or after him, will not change, not one iota!

One thing I have to credit the Moroccan authorities for, is that in the last few months, they have prevented some Polisario sympathizers paid by Algeria from entering the Western Sahara. We simply don’t have time to deal with these human rights defenders “wannabes.” Algeria has prevented this type of people from entering its territory for decades, and I do not see why Morocco has an open door policy to Morocco’s enemies disguised as human rights defenders. I commend Moroccan authorities for quashing the propaganda war that they were losing to the Polisario. The Algerians hosted the Polisario in Boumerdes to reignite this war, and so far, Moroccans are vigilant and not much is taking place to tip the balance in favor of the Polisario.

Salaheddine Mezouar, Mbarka Bouaida, Omar Hilale, and Hassan Boukili are doing a great job, and Moroccans following the Sahara dossier are fully aware of the magnitude of their work defending Morocco’s territorial integrity. This team should be supported to fend off the enemies of Morocco in the international arena, a place where the Algerians have been successful placing Morocco on the defense. This time, with this team, Morocco should have no problem defending the sacred cause against and unchangeable Algerian regime.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

New York- The US-led international coalition to defeat the Islamic State (IS), also know as ISIS, has started on Monday night, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The airstrikes, which are believed to be carried out without the consent of the Syrian regime, are underway, the same resource added.

"I can confirm that U.S. military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles," the Pentagon said in a statement.

'The decision to conduct theses strikes was made earlier today by the U.S. Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the commander in chief. We will provide more details later as operationally appropriate," it added.

The military campaign come a few hours after a terrorist group linked to the Islamic State in Algeria announced the kidnapping of a French national.

Fez - Egyptian actor Youssef Chaaban's last statement in which he said, "in Morocco, you find eight Jews out of every ten Moroccans," is still reverberating among Moroccan social media users.

Most were dumbfound by his remark which attempted to tarnish the reputation of the Muslim brotherhood's founder Hassan al-Banna.

In a reaction to Chaaban's statement, Charafat Afilal, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, said that the Egyptian actor demonstrated deep ignorance while inciting hatred.

"Chaaban is a great and competent artist, but his recent statement was an incitement for hatred and racism towards a vital component of the unified people of Morocco and towards an Abrahamic religion," Afilalt Said.

Addressing the actor, she said, "you proved your deep ignorance regarding the composition of Moroccan society, including its religious, cultural and historical dimensions.”

The minister declared that Moroccan people are "one people, one nation and one country," in a reference to the respect that Moroccans show towards Moroccan Jews in particular, and Jews in general.

"Be assured that the rhetoric that calls for chaos, hatred and racism will not bring Moroccans apart, because we are peace-loving people," she concluded.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed.

Rabat- The Royal Gendarmerie has strengthened its positions in several border points south of the kingdom, especially in the provinces of Smara, Laayoune and Dakhla.

According to the Moroccan daily Al Massae, the General Command of the Royal Gendarmerie deployed reinforcements in the southern provinces aiming to increase the security at the kingdom’s borders with Algeria, after a jihadist group announced its allegiance to ISIS in Algeria.

The same source added that in addition to these measures, the Moroccan authorities are regularly carrying helicopter patrols along the borders to prevent any jihadists’ attempt from creeping into the Moroccan territories.

In response to the growing terrorist threats from the Sahel region, Morocco built 70-kilometer long fence equipped with electronic sensors to protect its territory against terrorist threats.

The Algerian group “Jund al-Khilafa”, called Soldiers of the Caliphate, which pledges allegiance to the jihadist organization of the Islamic State (IS), has kidnapped a French citizen on Sunday in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, and threatened to execute him unless Paris halts its air attacks in Iraq against ISIS.

Marrakesh- The US is launching Tomahawk Cruise Missiles  against ISIS targets in Syria. The Washington post reports that the missiles were probably launched from naval ships or submarines in the eastern Mediterranean.

Cruise missiles were used  against Al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan after 9/11 and in the first Gulf War in 1991 and during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and against Libya in 2011.

Since President Obama  authorized  air attacks against ISIL in August official statements have recorded 190 air attacks by fighter bombers ,bombers and missile bearing drones. The use of Tomahawk missiles in Syria has not be recorded so far and is significant. It confirms that General  Lloyd Austin has been given a free hand to strike ISIS targets in Syria using whatever force is required.

The Washington Post  reports that cruise missiles were in position in August 2013 to strike  at the Assad regime following its use of chemical weapons. They were never used because President Obama decided to seek congressional approval for the action.

The Tomahawk Cruise Missile is a fearsome long range guided  weapon made by Raytheon. It is 18 feet long and  usually carries a 1,000 pound warhead and has a range of up to 1,000 miles. It is a precision guided missile and  is used against stationary targets. It ‘s against ISIL installations in Syria will help reduce the risk to US pilots should the Assad government choose to use its antiaircraft missile systems.

The Assad government said it had been warned by the US prior to the attack launched last night.

New York - Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki- moon said "he counts on the professionalism, integrity and commitment of the Moroccan troops to reach stability in Central Africa." 

"I wish to reiterate my concern regarding attacks against civilians and I count on the professionalism, integrity and commitment of the Moroccan troops to achieve the stabilization of the country which is necessary to put the Central African Republic on the way toward a sustainable development," UN chief told MAP.

Morocco "is actually one of the first countries which have deployed troops this week in the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), Ban recalled in this interview on sidelines of the 69th UN General Assembly.

The Kingdom was "the first country to provide a guard unit for the UN in Bangui even before the formation of UN peacekeeping mission", he added, stressing that MINURCAT will make, as its top priority, the protection of civilians and the political process.

Morocco is the 15th largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, UNSG noted, expressing his "gratitude to HM’s government for its commitment" to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cote d’Ivoire.

About 1,600 Moroccan troops are currently deployed in two UN peacekeeping missions in Congo (MONUSCO) and Côte d' Ivoire (UNOCI).

New York - Close to 140 heads of state, including King Mohammed VI, and heads of government are expected starting Wednesday in New York to take part in the 69th session of the UN general assembly, from September 24 through October 1st.

On Tuesday, the General Assembly started its week-long session with a summit on climatic changes, convened by Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, to draw a work plan and set up a worldwide fund to help poorer countries deal with the impact of climate change and invest in alternate energy schemes to curb the greenhouse gas emissions and address global warming.

The world leaders also have on the agenda several other issues amidst a whirlwind worldwide context, including the increasing threat of the Ebola outbreak and the rapid growth of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in swaths of Syria and Iraq.

The rapid spread of the Ebola virus in Western Africa will be the topic of a ministerial meeting (September 25) on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.

"This is not only a public health crisis, it has serious humanitarian, social and economic consequences" and could even threaten the political stability of affected countries, the UN chief had warned.

While heads of state and government are heading to New York, the fifteen members of the Security Council are preparing a draft resolution on foreign terrorist fighters.

The USA, which is sponsoring the text and holding this month's chairmanship of the Council, hopes that the resolution will be adopted at a Council's summit meeting on September 24 to be chaired by US chief executive Barack Obama.

Experts estimate that 12,000 combatants, from 74 countries, have joined ISIL in Iraq or Al-Nosra in Syria.

The Palestinian issue, and the situation in Libya and Yemen are other items on the Assembly's agenda.

On the sidelines of the 69th session, other groups will hold ministerial meetings, such the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (established in 2005) and the Deauville Partnership with Arab Countries in Transition.

Marrakech - In a press conference on the Whitehouse lawn today, President Barack Obama confirmed that five Arab nations had participated in or supported the United States action in Syria against ISIS training areas and command and control centers storage bases and a finance center.

"We're going to do what's necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group," Obama said in remarks from the White House lawn.

"America would act as part of a broad coalition and that's exactly what we've done," the president said, adding that "this is not America's fight alone."

"America is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with these nations on behalf of our common security," he added.

Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia joined in or supported the strikes, according to Central Command.

He also said that the strikes hit not only ISIS but a separate Al Qaeda terror group, Khorasan who had established a haven in Syria and were planning an  external attack and were testing explosives and recruiting westerners for their operations, according to a statement by the U.S. Central command.

"In total, U.S. Central Command conducted eight strikes against Khorasan Group targets west of Aleppo to include training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command and control facilities," the statement continued.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said that only US forces attacked the Al Qaeda linked Khorasan group, according to a report by the The Hill.

Paris - Morocco's decision to maintain its flights to Ebola-stricken African countries is in line with Rabat's influential policy in the continent, wrote "Le Monde" newspaper on Wednesday.

By keeping its flights to Ebola-stricken countries, Morocco is indisputably wining points as a major and responsible African actor, it said.

Noting that stopping flights by several carriers towards countries affected by the epidemic hampers dispatching humanitarian aid, the paper underlined that many African countries, including Guinea, hailed the Moroccan decision.

It also recalled that the Moroccan authorities took all necessary measures of precaution at the Kingdom's access points.

New York - King Mohammed VI of Morocco cancelled his planned trip to New York to participate in the 69^th session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to media sources.

The announcement was made 24 hours after the Moroccan Ministry of the Royal Household said that the Moroccan monarch would travel to New York on Tuesday to attend the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly.

King Mohammed VI was expected to address the General Assembly on Wednesday morning. He was listed 12 on the list of speakers of the morning session.

The reason of this sudden cancellation has not been disclosed.

Marrakech - The Foreign Ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met on Monday in New York. It was the first such meeting of the two great Islamic powers since the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in 2013.

An article by Iran’s official press agency IRNA reviewed by the UK Guardian newspaper quoted  Mohamed Javed Zarif as saying: “Both my Saudi counterpart and I believe that this meeting will be the first page of a new chapter in our two countries’ relations.”

“We hope that this new chapter will be effective in establishing regional and global peace and security and will safeguard the interests of Muslim nations across the world.“ the Iranian foreign minister added.

IRNA quoted Prince Saud al-Faisal as saying: “We are aware of the importance and sensitivity of this crisis and the opportunity we have ahead of us. We believe that by using this precious opportunity and avoid the mistakes of the past, we can deal with this crisis successfully,” he said.

“These two countries are influential in the region and cooperation between them will have clear effects on the establishment of regional and global security,“ he added.

The tension between the Shia and Sunni sides has overshadowed life in the Middle East region for generations. Any move to better relations in the current military campaign led by the U.S. and its allies against ISIS may yield important benefits.

Iranian troops are said to be in Iraq and Syria and the situation on the ground is highly unstable with Israel shooting down a Syrian fighter over the Golan Heights. Israeli hostility towards Iran is yet another complication.

In another development, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he would hold the first bilateral UK Iranian talks with President Hussein Rohani in New York, since the Iranian revolution in 1979.

British relations with Iran have been difficult for many years and the Prime Minister is seeking to use a recent thaw in relations to ask Iran to drop its support for President Assad who “created the conditions that have allowed terrorism to flourish,” according to a Downing Street  statement quoted by the Guardian.

This may perhaps be an over optimistic  assessment. Cameron will also seek progress  on the nuclear issue with Iran.

Iran was excluded from the Paris conference on ISIS and US Secretary of State John Kerry had said that Iran had no part to play in the coalition against ISIS despite the fact that it has forces on the ground in Iraq and Syria.

New York - Moroccan head of government, Abdelilah Benkirane is due to represent King Mohammed VI at the 69^th session of the United Nations General Assembly, whose general debate will kick off on Wednesday morning.

Benkirane’s last minute flight comes after King Mohammed VI cancelled his participation in the UN major annual gathering of heads of state and government.

The Moroccan monarch was expected to address the UN General Assembly, but his participation was cancelled at a last minute due to undisclosed reasons.

At the time of writing, the Ministry of Protocol and Royal Household has still not released any information regarding the cancellation of the King’s trip to New York.

Marrakech - The Moroccan royal cabinet has sent to the French magazine Le Point an article as a right of reply on behalf of King Mohammed VI in response to an article published in the magazine on July 24, 2014 which Morocco considered as undermining “the sovereign’s honor and reputation.”

The article published by Le Point concerned the wealth and private business transactions conducted on the King’s behalf.

The right-to-reply article, which was published on August 14, went unnoticed until a snapshot of it was posted on Facebook on Tuesday. It denied that Hassan Benhemou was the treasurer of the King, but only the managing director of the holding company SNI, whose capital is partially owned by the royal family alongside other shareholders.

The right of reply also denied that King Mohammed VI has any investment in phosphates in Morocco, indicating that this is a national asset operated by OCP, a public industrial group which belongs exclusively to the State.

Finally, the article aimed to dispel allegations in the Le Point article concerning public tenders. Those allegations described that alleged measures were tailored to benefit companies of the sovereign, including Nareva Energy Group, a subsidiary of the SNI.

The right of reply stated that this “was completely untrue” and the investment matters passed through a number of public ethics committees, adding that tenders are organized “in total transparency.”

There have been allegations that the sovereign “controls key business components of the economy” which were originally controlled by Siger, the royal holding company managed by the King’s secretary, Mounir al Majidi. But, these royal interests were divested from Siger and opened up by SNI to other investors after 2011.

Marrakech - On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama attempted to rally 125 world leaders at the UN summit on climate change, saying that they were “the last generation” with the ability to take action to avert a global catastrophe, the Congressional site the Hill reported.

He said that every nation had a responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that “no one gets a free pass.” He outlined the actions the United States was taking to address the problem and said that it was time that other countries begin following suit.

"For all the immediate challenges we gather to address this week … there is one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent and growing threat of a changing climate," President Obama said. He promised to assist poorer countries to achieve this goal, defend against devastating weather caused by climate change, and help with the provision of scientific data and advanced technology. He also signed an executive order  on climate resilience against drought and other natural catastrophes when planning international  aid and investing overseas

He emphasized that countries should work together as a global community.

"We cannot condemn our children and their children to a future that is beyond their capacity to repair," Obama said. "Not when we have the means and the technological innovation and scientific imagination to begin repairing it right now."

The United States was criticized at the Copenhagen climate change conference in 2009 for not reducing carbon emissions sufficiently. President Obama said that the US will not announce its post-2020 targets for cutting carbon emissions until early next year. Countries that have thus far failed to reduce carbon omissions include China and India. Large, expanding economies pushing for growth find reducing carbon emissions difficult, because it would mean cutting back on growth prospects. Poor countries find the cost of reducing carbon emissions prohibitive, so the US President’s offer of help will be welcome.

Rabat - The bodies of four missing children swept away Monday by seasonal flooding river in the rural town of Znaga, in Ouarzazate province, were found Tuesday, according to local authorities.

Thanks to the efforts of the elements of the Royal Gendarmerie, Civil Defence, local authorities and the local population, the corps of the four children were found.

The four children aged between from 7 to 11 were reportedly playing by the river Tazlmint at the Douar Taghrabt when they were surprised by the flood waters of the river, following the heavy rainfalls that covered most of the regions of the kingdom.

Because of a weak infrastructure, the recent rainfall caused many material damages when the flood penetrated into the buildings and schools in the south-east of Morocco.

Photo courtesy: Mustapha Dahamou

Taroudant, Morocco-International leaders and experts in the field of disease control are gathering to find a medical solution to treat and stop the outbreak of the Ebola virus, which has swept through West Africa.

The Moroccan Ministry of Public Health is reportedly seeking the advice of uluma, as Muslim legal scholars are known.

The Moroccan newspaper daily Al Akhbar reported in its September 24th edition that a regional director of public health has stated his ministry has asked the High Council of Ulumas to issue a Fatwa allowing the burial of victims of Ebola without the mortuary washing, an Islamic ritual.

Indeed, in addition to sanitary surveillance ordered by the Ministry of Health to detect and isolate cases of the virus immediately to prevent widespread outbreak in the kingdom, the Moroccan Ministry also reportedly appealed to the Uluma to issue a fatwa on the treatment of remains of the victims of the virus.

The Department of Health questioned whether Sharia law allowed for the burial of victims of Ebola without their remains having been washed according to Muslim rites. The underlying concern by the Department was the safety of those conducting the mortuary ritual, as such a move would endanger those engaged in the cleansing, since the virus spreads through physical touch between people.

Houcine El Ouardi, the Health Minister, announced that no case of the Ebola virus was detected to date in Morocco, confirming the establishment of a national watch and response plan against the epidemic.

In line with Morocco’s influential policy in the continent and its willingness to break the isolation of the Ebola-effected counties, Moroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc has vowed to maintain its regular flights to other African countries affected by the Ebola epidemic.

New York- Spanish King Felipe VI met on Wednesday in New York with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on the sidelines of the General Debate of the 69^th session of the General assembly.

The first meeting between held between the newly crowned Spanish monarch and the UN chief touched on the question of the Western Sahara, according to the office of the UNSG.

“The Secretary-General met today with H.M. King Felipe VI of Spain. They discussed the Western Sahara situation, and the Secretary-General thanked H.M King Felipe VI for Spain’s support for United Nations negotiations,” said a readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with King Felipe VI, King of Spain.

Spain, which occupied western Sahara from 1884 to 1975, is member of the Group of Friends of Western Sahar, which also includes France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Spain is candidate for temporary membership in the Security Council for 2015-2016 and observers say that it has a good chance of winning the seat.

Over the past 10 years has maintained what observers describe as positive neutrality towards the Western Sahara dispute, calling for a mutually acceptable political solution to the conflict.

Spain is Morocco’s major economic partner ahead of France, which has kept this position for several decades.

Rabat- The Moroccan National Agency for Sanitary Safety of Food Products (NASSFP) announced that the first phase of a vaccination campaign launched on 18 August against bovine Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, was completed and achieved 100% of its goal.

The same source states that one million cattle were vaccinated against this fatal disease in the 33 provinces of the kingdom.

In an attempt to ensure that all the sheep and calves that will be slaughtered during Eid Aladha—also called the Feast of the Sacrifice—are healthy, the Agency launched another vaccination campaign on 22 September in other regions of the kingdom that target about 1.7 million cattle.

The NASSFP notes that all measures have been taken to ensure that this vaccination operation takes place under good conditions. This year the national herd is in good health and no cases of FMD have been recorded.

Eid Al Adha is likely to fall on Sunday, 5 October 2014 in countries which strictly follow the method of witnessing the crescent moon, including in Morocco.