WW3.0
Addresses Armed Conflict in Western Sahara
Polisario Front's soldiers, Western Sahara, Nov. 19, 2020 |
Polisario Front's soldiers, Western Sahara, Nov. 19, 2020 |
Photo: Twitter/ @ed_peninsula
Published 27 November 20
"We join the concerns expressed by the international community and offer our vocation of dialogue and good offices," the Latin American Parliament said.
The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) supported Friday international calls for a "political, lasting and just" solution to the conflict between Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), following weeks of military encounters.
Polisario Front Declares War on Morocco
"We hope that the work of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco, and other actors such as the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania, will continue in the search for an agreement that implies a realistic, viable and lasting political solution to the situation in Western Sahara." Parlatino representatives stressed.
"From the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament, we join the concerns expressed by the international community and offer our vocation of dialogue and good offices,"
SADR declared "a state of war" early this month after the Moroccan government repressed a demonstration of Sahrawi activists in the bordering zone of Guerguerat.
SAHARA LIBRE ���� �� ✊�� We will not be silenced. My people, the Saharawi people of Western Sahara WILL be liberated from the occupation and colonial archaic actions of the Moroccan regime. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!! #FreeWesternSahara #AfricasLastColony #WesternSahara #BoycottMorocco pic.twitter.com/AOUdxXOFR3— Sahara trending (@TrendingSahara) November 27, 2020
SADR ambassador to Panama Sidahmed Darbal declared that the Moroccan army invaded the Guerguerat strip to unblock the road it illegally uses for land communication with Mauritania, thus violating the agreement to demilitarize the area and provoking an immediate military response from the Polisario Front.
Meanwhile, countries such as Russia, Algeria, South Africa, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Cuba demand the application of UN resolutions that call for the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people.
Morocco is a permanent observer member of Parlatino since April 25, 2018.
Solidarity with Sahrawi people: Algerian Journalists’ Association created in Algiers
SPS 28/11/2020 - 08:26
Algiers, 28 November 2020 (SPS) - The Solidarity National Association of Algerian Journalists with Sahrawi people’s struggle for independence was created Wednesday in Algiers.
Operated under the name of "Network of Algerian journalists in solidarity with the Sahrawi people," the association aims to fight against media blackout imposed by Morocco on the situation in Western Sahara, particularly after the resumption of armed actions last November 13 because of the aggressions by the Moroccan occupation army.
The association also seeks to supervise and direct the efforts of Algerian journalists in solidarity with the Sahrawi cause.
The strategy of the said association also includes the organization of conferences and symposiums to publicize the rights of the Sahrawi people, the establishment of relations with other associations for the development of content to support the struggle of the Sahrawi people, in addition to cooperative relations between the Algerian and Sahrawi media.
Aimed at enlightening world public opinion on the legitimacy of the rights of the Sahrawi people, the relations between Algerian journalists and their foreign colleagues in solidarity with the Saharawi cause, the association's action plan also includes "the creation of a non-governmental organization to advocate for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence." (SPS)
062/SPS/APS
French MP holds his country responsible for military tension in Western Sahara
SPS 27/11/2020
Paris (France) November 26, 2020 (SAPS) - French deputy and the chairman of Western Sahara Study Group at French National Assembly, Mr. Jean-Paul Lecoq, has called the attention of his country’s foreign minister about the ongoing tension in Western Sahara, after Morocco violated the ceasefire agreement.
Questioning French foreign minister, MP Locoq held his country’s government responsible for the ongoing escalation in Western Sahara, criticizing France’s inaction to push for the referendum on self-determination, as being a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a friend of Morocco.
The French deputy denounced France’s silence on the ongoing human rights violations committed by the Moroccan Kingdom in occupied Western Sahara, including of which the cases of torture against the Saharawi political prisoners.
He, in the same context, criticized France for ignoring the repeated calls for allowing the MINURSO to monitor human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. (SPS)
089/090/T
https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en
Published 27 November 20
"We join the concerns expressed by the international community and offer our vocation of dialogue and good offices," the Latin American Parliament said.
The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) supported Friday international calls for a "political, lasting and just" solution to the conflict between Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), following weeks of military encounters.
Polisario Front Declares War on Morocco
"We hope that the work of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco, and other actors such as the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania, will continue in the search for an agreement that implies a realistic, viable and lasting political solution to the situation in Western Sahara." Parlatino representatives stressed.
"From the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament, we join the concerns expressed by the international community and offer our vocation of dialogue and good offices,"
SADR declared "a state of war" early this month after the Moroccan government repressed a demonstration of Sahrawi activists in the bordering zone of Guerguerat.
SAHARA LIBRE ���� �� ✊�� We will not be silenced. My people, the Saharawi people of Western Sahara WILL be liberated from the occupation and colonial archaic actions of the Moroccan regime. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!! #FreeWesternSahara #AfricasLastColony #WesternSahara #BoycottMorocco pic.twitter.com/AOUdxXOFR3— Sahara trending (@TrendingSahara) November 27, 2020
SADR ambassador to Panama Sidahmed Darbal declared that the Moroccan army invaded the Guerguerat strip to unblock the road it illegally uses for land communication with Mauritania, thus violating the agreement to demilitarize the area and provoking an immediate military response from the Polisario Front.
Meanwhile, countries such as Russia, Algeria, South Africa, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Cuba demand the application of UN resolutions that call for the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people.
Morocco is a permanent observer member of Parlatino since April 25, 2018.
Sahrawis determined to embark on new stage in their sacred struggle
SPS 28/11/2020 -
Havana (Cuba), 28 November 2020 (SPS) - The president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Ghali, participated, at the invitation of Cuba's Communist Youth Union, in the "Pioneering Ideas" event held Havana, where he put forward the determination of Western Sahara people to enter into a new stage of their sacred and legitimate fight.
The president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and secretary general of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, was invited by the Communist Youth Union of Cuba to participate by videoconference at the "Pioneering Ideas" event organized in Havana, said the Saharawi news agency SPS.
At this event dedicated to both Africa and the Middle East and to the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, marking the 4th anniversary of his death, President Ghali expressed his thanks to the Cuban youth and to all those who stand in solidarity with the legitimate struggle of the Saharawi people.
The Saharawi President informed the participants of the aggression launched by Morocco on 13 November against defenseless Saharawi civilians, who were peacefully demonstrating in front of the El-Guerguerat illegal breach.
"This is a violation of the international law and the ceasefire agreement signed with the Polisario Front under the auspices of the United Nations."
Western Sahara's leader added that "this irresponsible position left the Saharawi people no choice but to resume the armed struggle against Moroccan occupation forces."
SPS 28/11/2020 -
Havana (Cuba), 28 November 2020 (SPS) - The president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Ghali, participated, at the invitation of Cuba's Communist Youth Union, in the "Pioneering Ideas" event held Havana, where he put forward the determination of Western Sahara people to enter into a new stage of their sacred and legitimate fight.
The president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and secretary general of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, was invited by the Communist Youth Union of Cuba to participate by videoconference at the "Pioneering Ideas" event organized in Havana, said the Saharawi news agency SPS.
At this event dedicated to both Africa and the Middle East and to the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, marking the 4th anniversary of his death, President Ghali expressed his thanks to the Cuban youth and to all those who stand in solidarity with the legitimate struggle of the Saharawi people.
The Saharawi President informed the participants of the aggression launched by Morocco on 13 November against defenseless Saharawi civilians, who were peacefully demonstrating in front of the El-Guerguerat illegal breach.
"This is a violation of the international law and the ceasefire agreement signed with the Polisario Front under the auspices of the United Nations."
Western Sahara's leader added that "this irresponsible position left the Saharawi people no choice but to resume the armed struggle against Moroccan occupation forces."
Solidarity with Sahrawi people: Algerian Journalists’ Association created in Algiers
SPS 28/11/2020 - 08:26
Algiers, 28 November 2020 (SPS) - The Solidarity National Association of Algerian Journalists with Sahrawi people’s struggle for independence was created Wednesday in Algiers.
Operated under the name of "Network of Algerian journalists in solidarity with the Sahrawi people," the association aims to fight against media blackout imposed by Morocco on the situation in Western Sahara, particularly after the resumption of armed actions last November 13 because of the aggressions by the Moroccan occupation army.
The association also seeks to supervise and direct the efforts of Algerian journalists in solidarity with the Sahrawi cause.
The strategy of the said association also includes the organization of conferences and symposiums to publicize the rights of the Sahrawi people, the establishment of relations with other associations for the development of content to support the struggle of the Sahrawi people, in addition to cooperative relations between the Algerian and Sahrawi media.
Aimed at enlightening world public opinion on the legitimacy of the rights of the Sahrawi people, the relations between Algerian journalists and their foreign colleagues in solidarity with the Saharawi cause, the association's action plan also includes "the creation of a non-governmental organization to advocate for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence." (SPS)
062/SPS/APS
French MP holds his country responsible for military tension in Western Sahara
SPS 27/11/2020
Paris (France) November 26, 2020 (SAPS) - French deputy and the chairman of Western Sahara Study Group at French National Assembly, Mr. Jean-Paul Lecoq, has called the attention of his country’s foreign minister about the ongoing tension in Western Sahara, after Morocco violated the ceasefire agreement.
Questioning French foreign minister, MP Locoq held his country’s government responsible for the ongoing escalation in Western Sahara, criticizing France’s inaction to push for the referendum on self-determination, as being a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a friend of Morocco.
The French deputy denounced France’s silence on the ongoing human rights violations committed by the Moroccan Kingdom in occupied Western Sahara, including of which the cases of torture against the Saharawi political prisoners.
He, in the same context, criticized France for ignoring the repeated calls for allowing the MINURSO to monitor human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. (SPS)
089/090/T
https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en
A Conflict That Time Forgot
INTISSAR FAKIR
Rising tensions between Morocco and the Polisario Front come at the worst time for parties to the Western Sahara conflict.
November 24, 2020
On November 13, a standoff over access to the Guergarat border crossing between the Western Sahara* and Mauritania broke a nearly three-decade ceasefire in the Western Sahara conflict between Rabat and the Polisario Front. Morocco says it fired on Polisario fighters in retaliation for what Rabat called their days-long blockade of the road, holding up some 200 trucks and threatening trade with Mauritania. Polisario, in turn, characterized the situation before the incident as locals peacefully protesting against Morocco’s presence in the area.
Parts of the road toward the crossing are under Morocco’s de facto control, while others fall in the thin buffer zone controlled by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. There is concern that the episode could reignite armed conflict between Morocco and Polisario. This would add to instability in North Africa and the Sahel after the war in Libya and the insurgency in Mali.
Following the skirmish, Polisario pointed out that Morocco’s actions violated the ceasefire and the group’s secretary general, Ibrahim Gali, declared war on the kingdom. Meanwhile, Morocco has given no sign that it seeks to escalate the situation. The Moroccan government framed its intervention as necessary to guarantee the movement of people and goods across the only access road to Mauritania. In that regard, Morocco received support from many traditional allies, including the Gulf monarchies. However, European partners, France, and the European Union have been cautious, indicating only tacit support for Morocco’s actions. That was likely to avoid alienating Algeria, the Polisario’s main backer, and to not antagonize activist groups in Europe that have grown more vocal about Morocco’s occupation of, and human rights violations in, the Western Sahara.
While the Guergarat crossing has long been a source of tension between the two sides, the strategically important road is not under complete Moroccan control, something that Rabat would like to change. But for many Sahrawis, what took place was a consequence of their broader disappointment over the failure of Morocco and Polisario, as well as the international community, to resolve the long-running Western Sahara conflict. The dispute over the former Spanish colony has been ongoing since 1975, when Morocco annexed the area ahead of Spain’s withdrawal.
Morocco and Polisario engaged in armed conflict between 1976 and 1991, when the United Nations brokered a peace agreement. This was based on the promise that a political process would follow—an integral part of which was a referendum of the Saharawi people to determine the territory’s fate. However, disagreements over who should be polled and from where provoked an impasse. In recent years, Morocco has abandoned the agreement to hold a referendum and instead pushed forward a plan that would allow greater autonomy for the provinces that make up the Western Sahara.
Morocco has tended to portray the issue as being frozen, with the two sides remaining far apart. Rabat will only accept autonomy under Moroccan rule, while Polisario will only consent to full independence. Such entrenched views harden the status quo, which for Morocco represents an acceptable solution.
Algeria’s support for Polisario has had both philosophical and practical benefits, and makes it an indirect party to the conflict, with an important role. For decades, Algeria’s anti-colonial stance predisposed it to sympathize with the Sahrawis’ cause and it views the Western Sahara as a decolonization issue. But for Algiers, Polisario has also functioned as useful leverage in the tense Algerian relationship with Morocco. Morocco’s monarchy, on the other hand, continues to present the Western Sahara conflict as source of legitimacy and popularity—the great struggle uniting Moroccans. Furthermore, the dispute has not prevented it from developing the area as it would any other part of its territory, in fact more so.
Polisario’s willingness to declare a war against Morocco now probably indicates a desire to create momentum to resolve the Western Sahara issue due to the front’s own internal challenges and changes in Algeria. Polisario’s leadership is facing dissatisfaction inside and outside the refugee camps it controls in Algeria. The population that Polisario governs in Sahrawi camps and those supporting it within Moroccan-controlled territory have faced years of hardship waiting for a political resolution, but nothing that Polisario has done has brought this any closer. In addition, Algeria’s domestic circumstances have changed substantially over the past year and it is difficult to assess if its support for Polisario will remain the same indefinitely.
Morocco, likewise, might see a moment of opportunity to gain a greater advantage in the conflict. Already the country has moved to secure control over the Guergarat crossing, and to build a barrier through the narrow corridor that connects Morocco to Mauritania—an extension of the sand berm it had built to separate Moroccan-controlled areas from those under Polisario’s authority.
Whether Morocco’s action is legal is a daunting question on which the UN has yet to publicly speak. With the international community focused on combating the Covid-19 pandemic, general fatigue over the long-running Western Sahara conflict, and a rocky political transition taking place in the United States, Morocco may see an opening to pursue its agenda. If the Trump administration pushes for agreements between Arab states and Israel before leaving office, for example, Morocco might be tempted to go along with this if it leads to U.S. recognition of Moroccan control over the Western Sahara.
While armed conflict threatens to resume between the two sides, the region continues to struggle with the impact of Covid-19, the economic pressures it has generated for already ailing economies, and the social and political weaknesses it has highlighted. Morocco faces its own social and economic challenges that would make a conflict less than ideal. The Algerian government, in turn, is facing significant economic pressures because of diminishing oil and gas revenues, and a lack of legitimacy among a population calling for widespread reform. While in certain cases such problems could make conflict more probable, for Morocco and Algeria today the costs would outweigh the benefits—especially since both gain from the status quo. Meanwhile, the fate of the Sahrawi people remains in limbo.
So far, the situation is looking increasingly like the sort of low-level conflict that it was during the 1970s and 1980s. On November 15, gunfire was reported in a few spots along the sand berm. However, there has been little information from the Moroccan Army about the attacks. A Polisario spokesman, Ould Salek, announced that his group was mobilizing “thousands of volunteers.” Morocco has indicated that it would not shy away from responding. Meanwhile, the Algerian military released a statement last week urging both sides to show restraint, a fairly subdued response compared to past statements.
Still, the border incident—and the whole conflict—is a reminder of the dangers of the unresolved problem in the Western Sahara. It also highlights the extent of the dysfunction in the relationship between Morocco and Algeria, and the lack of security or political coordination among states across North Africa.
INTISSAR FAKIR
Rising tensions between Morocco and the Polisario Front come at the worst time for parties to the Western Sahara conflict.
November 24, 2020
On November 13, a standoff over access to the Guergarat border crossing between the Western Sahara* and Mauritania broke a nearly three-decade ceasefire in the Western Sahara conflict between Rabat and the Polisario Front. Morocco says it fired on Polisario fighters in retaliation for what Rabat called their days-long blockade of the road, holding up some 200 trucks and threatening trade with Mauritania. Polisario, in turn, characterized the situation before the incident as locals peacefully protesting against Morocco’s presence in the area.
Parts of the road toward the crossing are under Morocco’s de facto control, while others fall in the thin buffer zone controlled by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. There is concern that the episode could reignite armed conflict between Morocco and Polisario. This would add to instability in North Africa and the Sahel after the war in Libya and the insurgency in Mali.
Following the skirmish, Polisario pointed out that Morocco’s actions violated the ceasefire and the group’s secretary general, Ibrahim Gali, declared war on the kingdom. Meanwhile, Morocco has given no sign that it seeks to escalate the situation. The Moroccan government framed its intervention as necessary to guarantee the movement of people and goods across the only access road to Mauritania. In that regard, Morocco received support from many traditional allies, including the Gulf monarchies. However, European partners, France, and the European Union have been cautious, indicating only tacit support for Morocco’s actions. That was likely to avoid alienating Algeria, the Polisario’s main backer, and to not antagonize activist groups in Europe that have grown more vocal about Morocco’s occupation of, and human rights violations in, the Western Sahara.
While the Guergarat crossing has long been a source of tension between the two sides, the strategically important road is not under complete Moroccan control, something that Rabat would like to change. But for many Sahrawis, what took place was a consequence of their broader disappointment over the failure of Morocco and Polisario, as well as the international community, to resolve the long-running Western Sahara conflict. The dispute over the former Spanish colony has been ongoing since 1975, when Morocco annexed the area ahead of Spain’s withdrawal.
Morocco and Polisario engaged in armed conflict between 1976 and 1991, when the United Nations brokered a peace agreement. This was based on the promise that a political process would follow—an integral part of which was a referendum of the Saharawi people to determine the territory’s fate. However, disagreements over who should be polled and from where provoked an impasse. In recent years, Morocco has abandoned the agreement to hold a referendum and instead pushed forward a plan that would allow greater autonomy for the provinces that make up the Western Sahara.
Morocco has tended to portray the issue as being frozen, with the two sides remaining far apart. Rabat will only accept autonomy under Moroccan rule, while Polisario will only consent to full independence. Such entrenched views harden the status quo, which for Morocco represents an acceptable solution.
Algeria’s support for Polisario has had both philosophical and practical benefits, and makes it an indirect party to the conflict, with an important role. For decades, Algeria’s anti-colonial stance predisposed it to sympathize with the Sahrawis’ cause and it views the Western Sahara as a decolonization issue. But for Algiers, Polisario has also functioned as useful leverage in the tense Algerian relationship with Morocco. Morocco’s monarchy, on the other hand, continues to present the Western Sahara conflict as source of legitimacy and popularity—the great struggle uniting Moroccans. Furthermore, the dispute has not prevented it from developing the area as it would any other part of its territory, in fact more so.
Polisario’s willingness to declare a war against Morocco now probably indicates a desire to create momentum to resolve the Western Sahara issue due to the front’s own internal challenges and changes in Algeria. Polisario’s leadership is facing dissatisfaction inside and outside the refugee camps it controls in Algeria. The population that Polisario governs in Sahrawi camps and those supporting it within Moroccan-controlled territory have faced years of hardship waiting for a political resolution, but nothing that Polisario has done has brought this any closer. In addition, Algeria’s domestic circumstances have changed substantially over the past year and it is difficult to assess if its support for Polisario will remain the same indefinitely.
Morocco, likewise, might see a moment of opportunity to gain a greater advantage in the conflict. Already the country has moved to secure control over the Guergarat crossing, and to build a barrier through the narrow corridor that connects Morocco to Mauritania—an extension of the sand berm it had built to separate Moroccan-controlled areas from those under Polisario’s authority.
Whether Morocco’s action is legal is a daunting question on which the UN has yet to publicly speak. With the international community focused on combating the Covid-19 pandemic, general fatigue over the long-running Western Sahara conflict, and a rocky political transition taking place in the United States, Morocco may see an opening to pursue its agenda. If the Trump administration pushes for agreements between Arab states and Israel before leaving office, for example, Morocco might be tempted to go along with this if it leads to U.S. recognition of Moroccan control over the Western Sahara.
While armed conflict threatens to resume between the two sides, the region continues to struggle with the impact of Covid-19, the economic pressures it has generated for already ailing economies, and the social and political weaknesses it has highlighted. Morocco faces its own social and economic challenges that would make a conflict less than ideal. The Algerian government, in turn, is facing significant economic pressures because of diminishing oil and gas revenues, and a lack of legitimacy among a population calling for widespread reform. While in certain cases such problems could make conflict more probable, for Morocco and Algeria today the costs would outweigh the benefits—especially since both gain from the status quo. Meanwhile, the fate of the Sahrawi people remains in limbo.
So far, the situation is looking increasingly like the sort of low-level conflict that it was during the 1970s and 1980s. On November 15, gunfire was reported in a few spots along the sand berm. However, there has been little information from the Moroccan Army about the attacks. A Polisario spokesman, Ould Salek, announced that his group was mobilizing “thousands of volunteers.” Morocco has indicated that it would not shy away from responding. Meanwhile, the Algerian military released a statement last week urging both sides to show restraint, a fairly subdued response compared to past statements.
Still, the border incident—and the whole conflict—is a reminder of the dangers of the unresolved problem in the Western Sahara. It also highlights the extent of the dysfunction in the relationship between Morocco and Algeria, and the lack of security or political coordination among states across North Africa.
Women carrying Saharan flags take part in a demonstration in San Sebastian, Spain, to demand the end of Morocco's occupation in Western Sahara on Nov. 16, 2020.
(Gari Garaialde/Getty Images)
The Polisario Front announces the end of the ceasefire with Morocco
INTERNATIONAL 14 days ago REPORT
The Moroccan fence in the Guerguerat region, which sparked a severe crisis between Morocco and the Polisario
The leader of the Polisario Front, Ibrahim Ghali, issued a decree ending the commitment to the 1991 ceasefire agreement with Morocco, which could pave the way for a military confrontation between the two sides in the disputed Western Sahara.
In a statement carried by the Polisarios Sahara News Agency, today, Saturday, Ghali said that this comes in response to “Moroccos violation of the ceasefire and attacking civilian protesters in front of the buffer zone (Guerguerat).”
The statement called for “taking measures and measures related to implementing the requirements of a state of war,” and opening the door to “resuming fighting in defense of the legitimate rights of our people.”
The Polisario leader also condemned Morocco for “opening three other buffer zones on the Moroccan military fence,” considering that a “serious violation” of the military agreement sponsored by the United Nations between Rabat and the front calling for the independence of Western Sahara.
This comes one day after the Polisario government also described Moroccos move as a violation of the ceasefire.
Earlier in the day, Morocco said it had deployed forces in the buffer zone in response to the “provocation” of Polisario fighters, who had cut off the road to Guergarat, a gateway to neighboring Mauritania, since last October 21.
Morocco later announced that it had succeeded in securing the entire buffer zone.
Tensions have escalated in the region since 2016. The Front warned that the deployment of Moroccan forces would threaten the truce brokered by the United Nations in 1991.
The Polisario Front announced ending the peace agreement and preparing for war with Morocco
For three decades, the UN-monitored ceasefire has maintained a fragile peace in the disputed Western Sahara.
The situation worsened after Morocco deployed military engineers to expand its network of defensive walls to include the last stretch of the road across the Sahara to neighboring Mauritania.
Dozens of truck drivers were stranded for several days in Guergarat, the last stop currently controlled by Morocco on the road heading to the buffer zone guarded by the United Nations peacekeeping force (MINURSO), where the Polisario maintained a presence there.
The referendum on the future of the Sahara region has been postponed several times before, amid disagreements over the voter lists and the content of the referendum, and whether the referendum paper should include the word independence or only autonomy inside Morocco.
Why dispute about Carrots؟
Polisario spokesman Mohamed Salem Ould Salek said, “The road was not there when the peace agreement was signed in 1991. For the past three weeks, the Sahrawis have been organizing peaceful sit-ins to demand the closure of the illegal border crossing in Guergarat, in accordance with UN resolutions. And the pressure for the self-determination referendum, which was planned by the United Nations but has been repeatedly postponed. “
Hamdi Ould Errachid, mayor of the city of El-Ayoun, one of two regions established to administer the Moroccan-controlled areas of the region, replies, “Since the end of the eighties, Morocco has built a wall, which is a defensive measure protecting the Moroccan Sahara (from the infiltration of Polisario fighters).
“The entire area is closed, except for a loophole near Guerguerat that was not secured and that the Polisario took advantage of it by passing through Mauritanian territory,” he added.
“Morocco will fill this gap, making access to the region impossible.”
Do you is over cease-fire?
Polisario spokesman Mohamed Salem Ould Salek says, “Guerguerat is the last straw … it represents our aggression.”
He adds, “Sahrawi forces are engaged in legitimate self-defense and are responding to Moroccan forces that are trying to push the defensive wall that represents the line of contact” under the 1991 ceasefire.
And he declared it explicit: “The war has started, and the Moroccan side annihilated the ceasefire.”
The official of the Moroccan government in the region, Ould Errachid, said, “The actions of the Polisario are the real threat to the ceasefire. They are not new, but they are dangerous.”
He added: “What is happening is a threat. When you send civilians and armed people to a buffer zone, when the United Nations mission annoys MINURSO, and when it searches vehicles and prevents traffic, this is a threat.”
He stressed that Moroccos goal is “to maintain the ceasefire by preventing illegal interference” and “putting an end to provocations.”
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INTERNATIONAL 14 days ago REPORT
The Moroccan fence in the Guerguerat region, which sparked a severe crisis between Morocco and the Polisario
The leader of the Polisario Front, Ibrahim Ghali, issued a decree ending the commitment to the 1991 ceasefire agreement with Morocco, which could pave the way for a military confrontation between the two sides in the disputed Western Sahara.
In a statement carried by the Polisarios Sahara News Agency, today, Saturday, Ghali said that this comes in response to “Moroccos violation of the ceasefire and attacking civilian protesters in front of the buffer zone (Guerguerat).”
The statement called for “taking measures and measures related to implementing the requirements of a state of war,” and opening the door to “resuming fighting in defense of the legitimate rights of our people.”
The Polisario leader also condemned Morocco for “opening three other buffer zones on the Moroccan military fence,” considering that a “serious violation” of the military agreement sponsored by the United Nations between Rabat and the front calling for the independence of Western Sahara.
This comes one day after the Polisario government also described Moroccos move as a violation of the ceasefire.
Earlier in the day, Morocco said it had deployed forces in the buffer zone in response to the “provocation” of Polisario fighters, who had cut off the road to Guergarat, a gateway to neighboring Mauritania, since last October 21.
Morocco later announced that it had succeeded in securing the entire buffer zone.
Tensions have escalated in the region since 2016. The Front warned that the deployment of Moroccan forces would threaten the truce brokered by the United Nations in 1991.
The Polisario Front announced ending the peace agreement and preparing for war with Morocco
For three decades, the UN-monitored ceasefire has maintained a fragile peace in the disputed Western Sahara.
The situation worsened after Morocco deployed military engineers to expand its network of defensive walls to include the last stretch of the road across the Sahara to neighboring Mauritania.
Dozens of truck drivers were stranded for several days in Guergarat, the last stop currently controlled by Morocco on the road heading to the buffer zone guarded by the United Nations peacekeeping force (MINURSO), where the Polisario maintained a presence there.
The referendum on the future of the Sahara region has been postponed several times before, amid disagreements over the voter lists and the content of the referendum, and whether the referendum paper should include the word independence or only autonomy inside Morocco.
Why dispute about Carrots؟
Polisario spokesman Mohamed Salem Ould Salek said, “The road was not there when the peace agreement was signed in 1991. For the past three weeks, the Sahrawis have been organizing peaceful sit-ins to demand the closure of the illegal border crossing in Guergarat, in accordance with UN resolutions. And the pressure for the self-determination referendum, which was planned by the United Nations but has been repeatedly postponed. “
Hamdi Ould Errachid, mayor of the city of El-Ayoun, one of two regions established to administer the Moroccan-controlled areas of the region, replies, “Since the end of the eighties, Morocco has built a wall, which is a defensive measure protecting the Moroccan Sahara (from the infiltration of Polisario fighters).
“The entire area is closed, except for a loophole near Guerguerat that was not secured and that the Polisario took advantage of it by passing through Mauritanian territory,” he added.
“Morocco will fill this gap, making access to the region impossible.”
Do you is over cease-fire?
Polisario spokesman Mohamed Salem Ould Salek says, “Guerguerat is the last straw … it represents our aggression.”
He adds, “Sahrawi forces are engaged in legitimate self-defense and are responding to Moroccan forces that are trying to push the defensive wall that represents the line of contact” under the 1991 ceasefire.
And he declared it explicit: “The war has started, and the Moroccan side annihilated the ceasefire.”
The official of the Moroccan government in the region, Ould Errachid, said, “The actions of the Polisario are the real threat to the ceasefire. They are not new, but they are dangerous.”
He added: “What is happening is a threat. When you send civilians and armed people to a buffer zone, when the United Nations mission annoys MINURSO, and when it searches vehicles and prevents traffic, this is a threat.”
He stressed that Moroccos goal is “to maintain the ceasefire by preventing illegal interference” and “putting an end to provocations.”
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