It was in the city of M’diq (Tetouan province) that the ceremonies commemorating the 40th day since the passing of the late Imad Ibn Ziaten, the French soldier of Moroccan origin who lost his life during the Toulouse and Montauban massacre on 11 March, were held.

At the cemetery in the coastal city of M’diq, where he rests as he had always wished, family members, relatives, and friends of the deceased gathered at the grave of paratrooper Imad Ibn Ziaten. This was the first simple and intimate religious ceremony to take place after the funeral of the young martyr forty days ago. Verses from the Quran were recited in memory of the 31-year-old man, whose passing was a true shock and an immeasurable pain for his entire family. The sadness was shared by the inhabitants of the city of M’diq and throughout the Kingdom. Prayers were said for the glory of our King Mohammed VI, who granted special attention to the French soldier of Moroccan origin and assured his family members of his great benevolence.

In the evening, the parents of the deceased held a press conference to recount the difficult moments the family had gone through after the tragic passing of young Imad on 11 March. "This hard and difficult ordeal would have destroyed me if King Mohammed VI, in his great benevolence, had not supported me both in France and in Morocco to overcome this bitter trial," said Mrs Latifa Ibn Ziaten, the mother of the deceased, who recalled that her entire family felt immense pride after His Majesty the King showed all members of the Ibn Ziaten family his great benevolence. Latifa also took the opportunity to thank President Sarkozy, the French Army, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Defence and the Interior. She also thanked the Mayor of Rouen, Mrs Valérie Fourneyron, Senator Mrs Morin-Desailly, the Mayor of the Sotteville-lès-Rouen commune, Pierre Bourguignon, Deputy Mayor Luce Pane, and all the people who joined in their mourning.

Finally, let us recall that this press conference was attended by eminent personalities and representatives of civil society and NGOs, including Souad El Khammar and Mehdi Gadi, elected officials at the Paris City Hall and representatives of the Moroccan Eco-Cities Association. Before closing the press conference, the creation of the "Imad Ibn Ziaten for Youth and Peace" Association was announced to honour the values that Imad always defended, especially regarding peace and the fight against terrorism. It was also recalled that a twinning ceremony between the cities of M’diq and Rouen would be held in the coming days.