RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities said on Monday they had arrested six suspected Islamic State militants who had been planning attacks.

The arrested belonged to a group linked to Islamic State that was dismantled this month which had been active in eight towns and cities and which had planned terrorist operations, an official statement said.

One of the six arrested was an expert in explosives, the statement said. Eleven other militants had already been arrested earlier this month.

Moroccan authorities say they have dismantled dozens of jihadist cells since 2002, including about 50 with alleged links to Islamic State.