French magazine Causeur: A foreign hand behind attempts to destabilize Moroccan security and intelligence services, as Morocco establishes itself as a key player in regional stability
By ALDAR / Meryem Hafiani
The French magazine Causeur, in its August 29, 2025 edition, published a lengthy report on what it described as a “war between Moroccan security services or destabilization attempts from abroad,” in the context of Morocco’s growing role as a regional power in the fields of security and intelligence, particularly in the Sahel-Saharan zone.
The magazine stressed that the recent rapprochement between Paris and Rabat, following France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, went beyond diplomatic implications. It was accompanied by an unprecedented strengthening of the role of Moroccan intelligence services, now regarded as essential actors in regional stability.
The report focused on the General Directorate for Studies and Documentation (DGED), headed by Mohamed Yassine Mansouri, which has provided decisive support to the Nigerien army in its operations against Boko Haram, in addition to its involvement in sensitive regional issues, such as mediation around Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum. The magazine also recalled Mansouri’s background as a civilian in a domain long reserved for the military, which gave the service a renewed institutional and diplomatic dimension.
At the same time, Causeur highlighted the role of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), led by Abdellatif Hammouchi, which has cemented its reputation as a key actor in the fight against terrorism and organized crime. The DGST has contributed to dismantling transnational criminal networks and provided European partners with accurate intelligence that enabled the interception of major drug shipments.
However, according to Causeur, these successes have stirred regional jealousies, particularly from neighboring Algeria. Certain Algerian and Spanish media outlets have circulated the hypothesis of an “internal conflict” between the DGED and DGST, relying on peripheral cases such as that of Mehdi Hajoui, a former official who left Moroccan services in 2010 and has since been pursued in judicial cases unrelated to any so-called “intelligence war.”
The French magazine emphasized that no tangible evidence supports the existence of a confrontation between Mansouri and Hammouchi. On the contrary, the two officials were recently seen together at a joint strategic seminar focused on combating transnational threats in the Sahel and their connection to European security.
Causeur concluded by affirming that the rhetoric around a “war between Moroccan intelligence services” is nothing more than the reflection of maneuvers by external actors seeking to sow doubt and undermine confidence in the Kingdom’s security institutions, at a time when Morocco is establishing itself as a true “control tower” for security in the Sahel and the Mediterranean.
