Power Struggle in the Shadows: Moroccan Intelligence Implodes Amid Ruthless Infighting and Exposures

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Secret War Between Hammouchi and Mansouri Erupts into Arrests, Purges, and Leaks as Morocco’s Deep State Devours Itself

─────────────◆─────────────

Algiers, Algeria | June 19th, 2025 —  A brutal intelligence war has erupted within Morocco’s secretive and repressive security apparatus, exposing deep fractures at the heart of the regime. According to bombshell revelations reported by veteran Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero in El Confidencial, the long-simmering rivalry between Abdellatif Hammouchi—head of Morocco’s DGSN-DST (General Directorate for National Security and Domestic Surveillance)—and Yassine Mansouri—chief of the DGED (External Intelligence Service)—has finally exploded into the open, with sweeping purges, mass arrests, and unprecedented internal reprisals.

The trigger? The dramatic desertion of Mehdi Hijaoui, the former second-in-command of the DGED, who fled Morocco for Europe last year amid severe tensions with top regime figures. Moroccan authorities accuse him of orchestrating illegal migration networks and have issued an extradition request, but European intelligence suggests that the real reason for the crackdown lies elsewhere: Hijaoui holds sensitive information regarding the Moroccan regime’s controversial use of the Pegasus spyware system, a scandal that already rocked international headlines in past years.

Now, Hammouchi is capitalizing on Hijaoui’s escape to conduct an iron-fisted purge against the DGED. According to El Confidencial, dozens of individuals linked to Hijaoui have been arrested, including two senior police commissioners and members of his family—a departure from the regime’s usual practice of avoiding family reprisals against dissidents. The scale and depth of this crackdown point to a ruthless campaign of elimination disguised as a “hunt for traitors” but clearly motivated by Hammouchi’s thirst for domination over his internal rival.

Even Yassine Mansouri, once considered untouchable, is now in the regime’s crosshairs. A childhood friend and former classmate of King Mohammed VI, Mansouri had served for two decades at the helm of Morocco’s foreign intelligence agency. Yet, his name is now publicly smeared in regime-aligned media outlets like Barlamane, which have called for investigations into his massive and illicit property acquisitions. Significantly, Mansouri was conspicuously absent from the king’s recent ceremonial Eid al-Adha greeting in Tétouan—a glaring indicator of his sudden fall from grace.

The feud at the top reflects a broader power vacuum driven by the deteriorating health of King Mohammed VI. With succession questions looming large, entrenched factions within the monarchy’s deep state are battling for supremacy—no matter the cost.

Meanwhile, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has also been tainted by scandal. Leaked documents detailing his suspicious personal enrichment have surfaced, further exposing the regime’s culture of corruption and impunity. The Bourita affair adds another layer of volatility to an already explosive situation, fueling speculation that Hammouchi is behind a larger campaign of blackmail and control targeting every potential challenger.

But the real danger for the Moroccan monarchy may come from Mansouri himself. Though disgraced, he remains deeply connected—both inside and outside the country—and holds a trove of classified information that could devastate the regime. Sources claim he could leak damaging files concerning the monarch’s private affairs, including his close and controversial ties to the Azaitar brothers and his frequent visits to gay bars in Paris—potentially scandalous details that could humiliate Mohammed VI on the world stage.

Morocco’s intelligence war has gone from whispers in the corridors of power to open trench warfare. As the deep state turns on itself, the kingdom risks spiraling into internal chaos, exposing the fragility behind its polished facade of royal control and regional influence.

This unfolding saga is not just a tale of power, betrayal, and espionage—it’s a stark revelation of the moral rot and ruthless paranoia governing the Kingdom of Morocco.

To be continued…

📡🌍 | About Dzair Tube Media Group | 🌍📡
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📰 Dzair Tube is a trailblazer in Algerian digital journalism, delivering high-quality content in Arabic, French, and English. With more than 📈 500,000 daily clicks, it ranks among the most influential media platforms in the country.

🏆 Awarded the President of the Republic’s Prize for Professional Journalist in the Electronic Press category (🗓 October 22, 2022), Dzair Tube is widely recognized for its editorial excellence and integrity.

📱 Massive Digital Reach:
🔴 350,000+ YouTube subscribers
🔵 6 million+ followers across Facebook pages
📸 450,000+ Instagram followers

🎥 Operating from state-of-the-art studios, Dzair Tube broadcasts rich and diverse programming, including:
🗞 News | ⚽ Sports | 🎭 Entertainment | 🕌 Religion | 🎨 Culture

🗣️ Featuring interactive talk shows and exclusive interviews with prominent figures from politics, business, arts, and more, Dzair Tube serves as a key platform for public discourse and civic engagement.

📰 Its print sports daily, “Dzair Sport,” enjoys over 50,000 daily downloads via the official website—further cementing the platform’s multimedia leadership.

🎖️ Honored with the Media Leadership Award by the former Minister of Communication, Mohamed Laâgab, and celebrated at the Hilals of the Television awards, Dzair Tube continues to lead with innovation, influence, and impact.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🌐 Stay Connected:
🔗 Website: www.dzair-tube.dz
🔗 English: www.dzair-tube.dz/en
📲 Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━