Residents of "Aït Abdi" in Azilal Rise Up Against Isolation and Marginalization, Only to Face a Massive Security Crackdown!

The “Kouser Naït Abdi” area, part of the Zawiya Ahnsal commune in the Azilal province, witnessed a protest march on foot heading toward the provincial administrative headquarters, which the authorities disrupted with an intensive security cordon and a large deployment of auxiliary forces and Royal Gendarmerie vehicles to prevent the protesters from continuing their march.

This on-the-ground action represents an escalation following the previous protest stance taken by residents of several villages (such as Tantam, Zarkan, Tafraout, and Ouga) by boycotting the legislative elections, expressing their deep dissatisfaction with the policy of marginalization and the neglect of development in the region.

Despite this tight security cordon deep in the mountains, the residents remained committed to nonviolence, sitting on the rocks to make their voices heard.

Their demands center on the basic rights to a decent life, foremost among them the provision of safe drinking water, the paving of roads to break the deadly isolation, and the construction of middle and high schools to save their children from dropping out of school and arduous commutes, in addition to electrification and health services; they also called on the regional governor to open a responsible dialogue that yields concrete decisions with specific timelines.