Here is a very strange story. The Court of Appeal of the Administrative Court of Rabat has just overturned a first-instance judgment granting compensation to a former soldier who spent 2 years and 7 months in prison due to a desertion he denies. According to the Court of Appeal, roughly speaking, it cannot be proven that he did not desert.
While the Moroccan special forces soldiers had recently impressed with their very modern look (during Flintlock 2019), the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) continue their shopping.
While in 2018 Morocco appears in 55th place out of 136 countries (7th in Africa) evaluated by the specialized website Global Firepower, this year it occupies the 60th place.
Naval maneuvers are currently underway off the city of Tan-Tan, in southern Morocco, where the Royal Moroccan Navy does not hesitate to test missiles.
In recent years, Morocco has almost spent without counting to modernize its army, by acquiring latest generation missiles, American Abrams tanks and launching two surveillance satellites, Mohammed VI A and Mohammed VI B. But it would like to go much further by targeting its underwater defense.
Morocco will host the 2019 edition of Phoenix Express, maritime security military exercises in the Mediterranean in which many countries in the region and some American (USA and Canada) and non-Mediterranean European countries such as Denmark last year participate.
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have regained possession of F-16 fighter jets a few days ago after several months at the Edward base in the United States, where they all underwent a facelift.
The law for the restoration of compulsory military service was adopted yesterday during a council of ministers chaired by King Mohammed VI in Marrakech.
Soldiers from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces will take part from February 18 to March 1 in Flintlock 2019, military exercises initiated by the US forces fighting terrorism. Algerian soldiers as well as those from about thirty other African and Western countries will also participate.