Third minor arrested in ‘Al-Qmra’ tower theft case in Assilah

ASSILAH - The city of Assilah is relieved following the success of security services in arresting a third minor suspected of involvement in the theft of brass parts from the top of the historic Portuguese-style "Al-Qamra" tower.

The latest arrest came after two other minors were previously detained in the same case. The arrested individuals have been brought before the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Tangier.

This security intervention has been met with a positive response from the city's residents, who praised the speed and efficiency of the action, considering it instrumental in halting criminal behavior that targeted one of Assilah's most prominent landmarks.

Civil society actors also commended the vigilance of the security forces, while emphasizing the need to adopt parallel educational and social approaches, alongside the security approach, to curb such phenomena.

In a related context, discussions continue within community circles about the state of the "Al-Qamra" monument.

Several stakeholders believe the incident reveals deeper dysfunctions related to the faltering projects for the valorization of the old city, chief among them the tower's restoration project.

They argue that what happened is not an isolated event, but the result of an accumulation of delays and poor coordination between the concerned parties, which left the site vulnerable to vandalism in the absence of adequate preventive measures.

Local calls have grown for urgent intervention from the competent authorities, at both the municipal and regional levels, to accelerate the implementation of restoration and valorization programs and to ensure effective protection of this historical asset. Stakeholders also stressed that security solutions, despite their importance, remain insufficient unless supported by educational policies that enhance young people's awareness of citizenship values and the importance of preserving heritage.

In recent days, the city had been gripped by a wave of widespread condemnation following the incident, which was considered an attack on Assilah's collective memory, especially given the prominent symbolic status of the "Al-Qamra" tower. The tower was rehabilitated in 1994 as part of a partnership between the Assilah Forum Foundation and the Portuguese Gulbenkian Foundation, and was inaugurated in the presence of the then Crown Prince, King Mohammed VI, and Portuguese President Mário Soares.

This monument is also linked to a significant historical event, as it is said to have been the place where the Portuguese King Sebastian I spent his night before heading to Ksar El Kebir, where the Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin, known as the "Battle of the Three Kings," took place in 1578, ending in a decisive Moroccan victory.

In light of these developments, there is a growing awareness within the city that saving the "Al-Qamra" tower is no longer an option, but an urgent necessity and a true test of the commitment to protecting heritage and preserving historical memory, thereby strengthening Assilah's position as a prominent cultural and tourist destination both nationally and internationally.