RABAT, Morocco

Policemen arrested the members of a "terrorist cell" that had pledged allegiance to Daesh and planned to carry out assassinations to destabilize the country, the Moroccan Interior Ministry announced Sunday.

"The members of the cell were arrested in nine different Moroccan cities," the ministry added in a statement, noting that firearms and large amounts of live ammunitions were found in the possession of the cell members.

The ministry said the cell had previously pledged allegiance to Daesh chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and recruited several Moroccans with the aim of helping them travel to Syria and Iraq to join the terrorist group there.

It noted that the cell planned attacks on several security personnel to seize their service arms and use them in implementing their "criminal plan."

The suspects will be brought to justice once investigations conducted by prosecution authorities are finalized, the ministry said.

Last year, Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad said that more than 1,200 Moroccans fought in Syria and Iraq within the ranks of Daesh and other militant organizations.