watan-Families of four Moroccan truck drivers are living in a state of anxiety and fear following their mysterious disappearance while crossing a dangerous area between the city of Dori in northeastern Burkina Faso and the city of Tera in western Niger. The drivers were operating three trucks loaded with goods along a route known for the intense activity of armed groups notorious for looting and highway robbery, making these areas particularly hazardous for commercial transport.
According to the Moroccan Embassy in Burkina Faso, the drivers had been waiting for a week to secure an escort to ensure their safety. However, they were forced to proceed on their own when security could not be arranged. Despite the evident risks associated with the route, they chose to move forward to avoid delays in the shipment. Following their disappearance, authorities in Burkina Faso initiated extensive search operations to locate them and ensure their safety, in coordination with the Moroccan side.
This incident, which has captured widespread attention in Morocco, is not the first of its kind. Earlier this month, other Moroccan trucks were subjected to an armed attack near the border between Mali and Mauritania. This highlights the significant dangers faced by truck drivers in the Sahel region, where insecurity is rampant due to the presence of armed groups that regularly target commercial transport.
The route taken by the drivers is considered one of the most dangerous land corridors in Africa, with armed gangs known for looting trucks and kidnapping drivers for ransom. According to local sources, these groups exploit the lack of security in remote areas to gain illicit profits, making travel without armed escorts a highly perilous undertaking.
The incident underscores major challenges faced by Morocco’s commercial sector in protecting its trucks and personnel, who are compelled to operate under dangerous conditions. It has also sounded the alarm about the urgent need to strengthen regional and international cooperation to secure vital trade routes, particularly in the Sahel region, which has witnessed an escalation in armed activity.
While the Moroccan Embassy continues its efforts with authorities in Burkina Faso to locate the missing drivers, questions remain about their fate and the effectiveness of security measures to rescue them from the armed groups that control large parts of these regions.
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