| Belkhir El Farouk | |
| Native Name: | بلخير الفاروق ⴱⵍⵅⵉⵔ ⵍⴼⴰⵔⵓⵇ |
| Native Name Lang: | ar |
| Birth Place: | Id Bouchini, Mirleft, Morocco |
| Allegiance: |  Morocco |
| Battles: | Western Sahara War Guerguerat crisis |
| Children: | 3 |
| Office: | Inspector General of the Armed Forces |
| Predecessor: | Abdelfattah Louarak |
| Office1: | Commander of the Southern Zone |
| Predecessor1: | Bouchaib Arroub |
| Branch: | Royal Moroccan Army |
| Termstart: | 15 September 2021 |
| Termstart1: | January 2017 |
| Rank: | General de Corps d'Armée |
| Termend: | 22 April 2023 |
| Successor: | Mohammed Berrid |
| Termend1: | 22 April 2023 |
| Successor1: | Mohammed Berrid |
Belkhir El Farouk (ar|بلخير الفاروق, ; born 1948) is a Moroccan military general.
He was appointed as Inspector General by King Mohammed VI in 2021, replacing Abdelfattah Louarak, having previously been appointed Commander of the Southern Military Zone in 2019.[1] [2] [3] He was replaced by Mohammed Berrid on April 22, 2023 after asking to be relieved of his duties for health reasons.[4] [5]
Belkhir El Farouk was born in the village of Id Bouchini, near Mirleft, in 1948.[6] He was born into the Shilha tribal confederation. He graduated from the Meknes Royal Military Academy in 1972 with the rank of second lieutenant.[7] El Farouk obtained a Diploma of Higher Military Defense Studies in France.[8]
El Farouk had held several positions of military responsibility, notably in the 13th Infantry Battalion, the and, the Headquarters Battalion, the 1st Skiers Battalion, the 10th Motorized Infantry Brigade, 7th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 3rd Headquarters Company, and Headquarters and Theater Support Battalions.
In 2006, he was appointed head of the 3rd office of the Royal Armed Forces' general staff. He was appointed Commander in Chief of the Southern Military Zone by King Mohammed VI in 2017. El Farouk led the military intervention to take control of a border crossing in Guerguerat, leading to the 2020–2023 Western Saharan clashes.
El Farouk was named Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces by King Mohammed VI on 15 September 2021, replacing Abdelfattah Louarak.
On 22 April 2023, El Farouk was replaced by Mohammed Berrid as Inspector General by King Mohammed VI.[9] [10] [11]
El Farouk is married and has three children.