Belkhir El Farouk

Belkhir El Farouk (Arabic: بلخير الفاروق, Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴱⵍⵅⵉⵔ ⵍⴼⴰⵔⵓⵇ; born 1948) is the Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and the Commander of the Southern Military Zone.[1][2] He was appointed as Inspector General by King Mohammed VI in 2021, replacing Abdelfattah Louarak.[3][2]

Belkhir El Farouk
بلخير الفاروق
ⴱⵍⵅⵉⵔ ⵍⴼⴰⵔⵓⵇ
Belkhir El Farouk in 2022
Inspector General of the Armed Forces
Assumed office
15 September 2021
Preceded byAbdelfattah Louarak
Commander of the Southern Zone
Assumed office
January 2017
Preceded byBouchaib Arroub
Personal details
Born1948 (age 74–75)
Id Bouchini, Mirleft, Morocco
Children3
Military service
Allegiance Morocco
Branch/service Royal Moroccan Army
RankGeneral de Corps d'Armée
Battles/warsWestern Sahara War
Guerguerat crisis

Early life

Belkhir El Farouk was born in the village of Id Bouchini, near Mirleft, in 1948.[1][4] He was born into the Shilha Ait Baâmran tribal confederation.[4] He graduated from the Meknes Royal Military Academy in 1972 with the rank of second lieutenant.[5] El Farouk obtained a Diploma of Higher Military Defense Studies in France.[6]

Military career

El Farouk had held several positions of military responsibility, notably in the 13th Infantry Battalion, the 4th and 6th Motorized Infantry Regiment, the Headquarters Battalion, the 1st Skiers Battalion, the 10th Motorized Infantry Brigade, 7th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 3rd Headquarters Company, and Headquarters and Theater Support Battalions.[6] In 2006, he was appointed head of the 3rd office of the Royal Armed Forces' general staff.[1] He was appointed Commander in Chief of the Southern Military Zone by King Mohammed VI in 2017.[1] El Farouk led the military intervention to take control of a border crossing in Guerguerat, leading to the 2020–2022 Western Saharan clashes.[1]

El Farouk was named Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces by King Mohammed VI on 15 September 2021, replacing Abdelfattah Louarak.[2]

Personal life

El Farouk is married and has three children.[1][6]

Decorations

References
  1. Kozlowski, Nina (2021-09-22). "Belkhir El Farouk : dix choses à savoir sur le nouveau numéro 2 de l'armée". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  2. "Morocco names Lieutenant General Belkhir El-Farouk as new army commander". Al Arabiya English. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  3. "Le roi Mohammed VI nomme le général de corps d'armée Belkhir El Farouk inspecteur général des FAR". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  4. "من يكون الجنرال بلخير الذي عينه الملك مفتشا عاما للقوات المسلحة الملكية" [Who is General Belkhir, who was appointed by the King as Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces?]. Al Akhbar (in Arabic). 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  5. El Kanabi, Mohamed Jaouad (2021-09-16). "Le Général Belkhir El Farouk, le bon Inspecteur à la bonne place". Hespress (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  6. "Portrait du nouvel Inspecteur Général des FAR Belkhir El Farouk". Les Eco (in French). 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
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