WATCH: Two Moroccan families battle with swords in Fez

A dispute between two families in Morocco's Fez city on Friday resulted in a street sword fight, authorities confirmed.

2 min read

05 May, 2020

The fight took place in a neighbourhood in Morocco's Fez city [Youtube]

At least two people were injured after a violent sword fight erupted in Morocco's Fez city on Friday.

Ten people between the ages of 26 and 50 were arrested after the confrontation broke out in a populated neighbourhood, reports confirmed.

Videos that emerged online showed the group of men fighting with swords and knives following a dispute between two families, according to security forces.

Details of the dispute remain unclear.

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"Due to the low availability of firearms within Morocco, violent crimes tend to be committed with edged weapons such as knives and occasionally swords," a Morocco 2019 Crime & Safety report by OSAC said.

The confrontation - involving at least ten people from two families in the neighbourhood - took place despite lockdown measures imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Morocco has registered 5,053 cases of the new coronavirus and 179 deaths.

Authorities imposed a public health state of emergency on March 19, confining everyone to their homes except those with a permit to be out for work.

Isolation measures have proved most challenging in densely populated, working-class neighbourhoods, according to local media reports.

More than 4,300 people were arrested over the weekend in Morocco for breaching emergency rules in place to combat the novel coronavirus, according to official figures.

More than half of those detained were taken into police custody.

Since mid-March, authorities have arrested 28,701 people across the North African country, 15,545 of whom have been referred to court after being held in custody, according to the country's national security force DGSN.

Penalties for violating measures in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 disease include up to three months in jail and fines of up to 1,300 dirhams ($130), or both.

Police and security agents supported by soldiers in armoured cars have been deployed around the country, erecting road barriers and control points to enforce the measures.

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