In a security alert issued on Thursday, 15th of March, the US Consulate General in Casablanca urged American citizens in Morocco to aviod traveling to Jerada. Based on Media reports, the American mission in the Kingdom wrote that «numerous demonstrations and protests continue to occur in Jerada on a regular basis and there have been reports of confrontations between security forces and demonstrators». The same alert acknowledged that these protests are not targeting US citizens but stressed, however, that they should «avoid traveling to the region and use extreme caution when traveling along R607 and N17 in the vicinity of Jerada until further notice». Moreover, the same source requested US citizens to «avoid the Jerada region», «avoid public demonstrations and protests», «keep a low profile» and «be aware of their surroundings». For the record, members of the security forces and Hirak activists clashed in Jerada on Wednesday during a large demonstration. 9 protesters were arrested while several members of the security forces were wounded in the clashes, according to the Interior Ministry. The Hirak of Jerada erupted by the end of December 2017, when two brothers died in a mine in the city. The incident was the straw that broke the camel's back pushing the city's inhabitants to take their anger to the streets calling for social and economic reforms.
