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| Auxiliary Forces | |
|---|---|
| القوات المساعدة ⵉⴷⵡⴰⵙⴻⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵡⵡⴰⵙⴻⵏ | |
 | |
| Motto | God, Homeland, King |
| Founded | 1 July 1946 |
| Service branches | Provincial Guard General Intervention Support Units |
| Website | https://recrutement.fa.gov.ma |
| Leadership | |
| Supreme Commander | Mohammed VI |
| Minister of Interior | Abdelouafi Laftit |
| Inspector General | -Mustapha Hdioud (Southern Division) -Khalid Jabran (Northern Division) |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18-24 years |
| Active personnel | 45,000 |
The General Inspectorate of Auxiliary Forces (Arabic: القوات المساعدة, romanized: alquwaat almusa'ida; Berber languages: ⵉⴷⵡⴰⵙⴻⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵡⵡⴰⵙⴻⵏ, romanized: idwasen imawwasen; French: Forces Auxiliaires) is a security and military institution in Morocco, under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior. It has an important role in ensuring security throughout the territory of the Kingdom.[1]
Additionally, they contribute to maintaining internal order, acting as a border watch, and are the main backup force for firefighters during forest fires. During the Years of Lead, custody facilities such as Tazmamart and Agdz were mainly operated by elements of the auxiliary forces.
The Auxiliary forces are a continuation of a low-rank military unit composed of Senegalese Tirailleurs and Goumiers, used by the French during the protectorate area, to repress Moroccans.[2] Since the official French police patrolled only in the European area, this unit was responsible for maintaining order in the Moroccan neighbourhoods.
They are known colloquially as the mroud (a Berber word for a type of grasshopper),[2] mkhaznia (from Makhzen) or as imkhazniyn in Berber.
- ^ ""Article 2 of the tasks and formations of the Auxiliary Forces by Dahir N 1.17.71"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ a b Driss Bennani. "Enquête. L'mroud, histoire d'une malédiction" [Investigation. The mroud, story of a curse]. Telquel (in French). No. 273. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.