Rabat, Jul 3 (IANS/EFE): Moroccan police dismantled a new terrorist cell operating throughout nine cities in Morocco and Western Sahara, found to be spreading Islamic State terrorist group propaganda in online forums.

The Moroccan Interior Ministry explained in a statement that it arrested nine people for circulating IS extremist ideology and for praising criminal actions committed by IS inside or outside Syria and Iraq, especially the terrorist attacks in several countries during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Arrests took place in the cities of Nador, Tetouan, Tangier, Meknes, Sidi Ifni, Beni Mellal, Saidia, Laayoune and Dakhla.

According to the statement, the detainees pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The nine suspects made contact with IS members, encouraged young people to join the group and took advantage of social networks to learn how to make explosives.

Moroccan Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad recently said in a press interview that his country dismantled 27 terrorist cells since 2013, eight of which were dismantled in the first five months of 2015.

Hassad also indicated that 1,350 Moroccans are currently fighting in Syria and Iraq, 220 of whom were former prisoners and that many of them hold leadership positions.