A Belgian-Moroccan family in northern Morocco has been left shattered after a man in his thirties allegedly murdered his grandfather with a sickle, before turning on his own father.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws and local Moroccan media, the tragedy unfolded on Friday in the Nekkour area, specifically in Rabda, a remote village in the Rif Mountains near the north-eastern city of Al Hoceima.
According to reports by local Moroccan outlets, the suspect got into a heated row with his 80-year-old grandfather before allegedly attacking him with a sickle, killing him at the scene.
His father reportedly tried to step in and calm the situation down, but was then stabbed himself while attempting to intervene. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
The family is said to be well-known within Ghent's Moroccan community, according to HLN. The elderly victim had arrived in Belgium as a guest worker during the 1960s before later splitting his time between Belgium and Morocco following retirement.
Both the victim and his son reportedly held dual Belgian and Moroccan nationality, with the suspect having fled immediately after the attacks.
Following reports of the incident, officers from the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie were reportedly deployed rapidly to the scene. The suspect was arrested shortly afterwards, following a swift intervention by security forces.
The man has since been reportedly placed in police custody as part of a judicial investigation being carried out under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor's office.
Moroccan authorities are reportedly seeking to determine the full circumstances and motives surrounding the crime ahead of the suspect's expected appearance before the courts in Al Hoceima in the coming days.
Several acquaintances quoted in local media claimed the man had long struggled with psychological issues and had previously spent time in prison following earlier incidents.
"He actually needed help, but prison only made his condition worse," one acquaintance reportedly said.
Belgium's Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed it was aware of the case.
"We are following this up together with our embassy in Rabat. Because the individuals involved hold dual Belgian and Moroccan nationality, we are not intervening," spokesperson Pierre Steverlynck told HLN.
"They are receiving the necessary support from the Moroccan authorities."
