23 March 2022; MEMO: The Moroccan armed forces are conducting joint manoeuvres with their French counterparts in the east of the country near the border with Algeria, the General Staff of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces said in a statement on Monday.
The Moroccan-French joint air-land exercise dubbed "Chergui 2022" has been taking place from 1-25 March in the Errachidia region in the east of the country.
"The Chergui 2022 is a joint exercise conducted as part of the territorial integrity's defence mission, with the aim of consolidating the planning capacities and developing the technical and operational interoperability between the Royal Armed Forces and the French Army," the statement said.
Military officials from both countries have jointly been planned for the drill since last September, in France and Morocco, it added.
The most recent military drill between Morocco and France took place from 23 May to 3 June 2021, in the region of Ouarzazate, southern Morocco.
The French embassy in Morocco said exercises take place periodically within the framework of military cooperation between the two countries.
The embassy added that France had deployed air capabilities in the Chergui 2022 including the 4th Airmobile Brigade, elements of the Marine Corps, armoured vehicles, and six Gazelle, Puma and Cayman helicopters.
The manoeuvres are taking place in the new military zone recently established by Morocco along its border with Algeria.
The establishment of the new Moroccan military zone came at a time of tension between Rabat and Algiers, particularly over the Western Sahara and the recent rapprochement between Morocco and Israel.
