Security forces, residents clash in Morocco

Violent clashes broke out Thursday on the outskirts of Marrakech between government forces and the Royal Guard and anti-corruption protesters, resulting in 6 people being injured. Stones and batons were used during the large scale clashes which led to the closure of the road between Eureka region in the Atlas Mountains, which is popular with many tourists and Marrakech, in southern Morocco. Several witness confirmed the arrest of 4 people and medical sources confirmed 6 others were wounded. The road between Marrakech and Eureka had been blocked in order to prevent the protesters who accuse local authority leaders of bribery in the region. Locals said tension in the area increased after the Royal Guard announced the demolition of a number of homes in the area.  The unrest kicked off when a group of demonstrators tried to prevent the local authorities from implementing the decision to randomly demolish more than 80 homes, 50 of which have now been destroyed. The area has witnessed a heightened security presence with police forces being brought in from neighbouring Marrakech, Ibn Jarir and Seraghna Castle in an unprecedented way. The unrest comes days after the conclusion of a national meeting concerning the city's policies, held in Rabat, which underpinned  the need to implement a sophisticated legal and institutional framework in order to provide the city with mechanisms that support a decent living for Moroccans in the context of economic and social development.