The horrific murder of two female backpackers in Morocco sent shockwaves in the country on Monday after their bodies were found with "cuts to their necks."
Moroccan authorities in Marrakesh have since >arrested a man in connection with the crime, which took place in the High Atlas mountains, "to determine the motive of the crime." Investigations are currently underway to understand how the "criminal incident" played out.
"Investigations continue to arrest other individuals who have been identified and suspected of taking part in criminal acts," the central bureau of judicial investigation said in a statement, according to the BBC.
The women, from Denmark and Norway, are said to have been in their twenties. Their bodies were found inside a tent - which they had been sharing - near Mount Toubkal, the foot of North Africa's highest peak and a popular hiking destination in the country.
According to media reports, the women - now identified as Maren Ueland and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen - were students at the University of Southeastern Norway.
They had traveled to Morocco for tourism during Christmas. Ueland's mother took to >Facebook to mourn the tragic death of her daughter. The photo was accompanied with a caption that read: "Our Maren."
Morocco was once listed as one of the "most dangerous countries" for women travelers
In 2017, Trip.com ranked the 10 most dangerous places for solo female travelers, and >Morocco and Egypt made it to the list.
The North African nations topped the list; Egypt came in as the least safe destination for female travelers and Morocco as the second least safe.
According to the survey, Egypt topped the list mainly due to verbal/sexual harassment that women are often subjected to while on trips to the country. Women surveyed noted that "Egyptian men can be aggressive ... especially in crowded markets."
Similar to Egypt, female tourists often face harassment in Morocco.
This is why many who were surveyed noted that it's best to "dress conservatively; cover up shoulders and legs" while on tours. Others also warned that it's best for women to stay in groups while shopping because "shop owners can be aggressive and don't like to take no for an answer."
Also similar to Egypt, the country isn't considered safe for tourists of both genders due to terrorist threats and high crime rate. According to the U.S. State Department, there's a "high potential for terrorist violence against U.S. citizens" who visit Morocco.