Polisario Front Escalates Threats Against Morocco in Western Sahara Conflict

"The territory of the ’Sahrawi Republic’, including its land, maritime and airspace, is an open war zone," warns the Polisario in a statement dated November 30 and signed by its "government." It has in this sense called "once again on all the countries of the world and the public and private sectors to refrain from carrying out any activity of any kind whatsoever on the Sahrawi national territory," thus referring to the organization of several events including the fifteenth edition of the "Africa Eco-Race", a race that should take place between December 30 and January 14, 2024. The participants travel all along Morocco and head towards Mauritania passing through El Guerguerat. The separatist movement had published a statement threatening the last edition of the competition.

The protégé of Algeria says it "reserves the right to use all legitimate means and to respond firmly to any action aimed at undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity." It "holds responsible for the consequences that could result from their entry and crossing of the Sahrawi national territory," added the same source.

On October 28, four explosions had sounded at night in the city of Es-Semara, including residential neighborhoods and an observation site of the UN mission (MINURSO), in the Sahara. The toll of this military operation led by the Polisario is one dead (Hamza Jeaifri) and three injured. The Attorney General of the King near the Court of Appeal of Laâyoune had announced that the competent judicial police had been instructed to conduct a judicial investigation. So far, Morocco has not retaliated for this attack.