Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said on Thursday he was open to dialogue to end youth protests as security forces prepared for a sixth night of demonstrations that have escalated into riots across the country, APA reports citing Reuters.
Hundreds of people have been arrested and injured, with buildings ransacked and cars torched since the protests began on Saturday, initially with demands for better education and healthcare.
Though crowds have not been huge in numbers, the increasingly violent protests have brought the worst street unrest in Morocco since mass demonstrations in the Rif region in northern Morocco in 2016-2017.
A fifth night of protests on Wednesday brought the first reported deaths, with authorities saying the security forces had shot and killed three youths armed with knives who were trying to steal weapons and ammunition in Lqliaa, near Agadir.
Akhannouch said in a statement that his government had "engaged with the demands expressed by the youth movements" and was ready "for dialogue and discussion".
"Once again, we reiterate that a dialogue-based approach is the only path to addressing the various challenges facing our country."
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
