Morocco arrested two Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) jihadists who were planning to leave for ISIS training camps in Syria and Iraq before taking action at home, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

The two have connections with foreign extremists, and were planning to receive military training in ISIS camps before carrying out attacks in Morocco, the ministry said in a statement.

One of the arrested was closely related to a criminal gang in the central city of Fez, the statement said, adding that the detentions had led to the arrest of four more people in connection with the gang.

Morocco is facing a "serious terrorist threat" linked to the growing number of Moroccan nationals joining jihadist groups in the Middle East.

Last July, Moroccan Interior Minister Mohamed Hazard said that around 1,120 Moroccan nationals are enrolled in jihadist and terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, and some 2,000 others from Moroccan origins but holding Europeans passports are also enrolled in these groups. Endi