Bloomberg By Souhail Karam
- Morocco says repelled Polisario attack with anti-tank weaponry
- Polisario declares war because Rabat ‘violated’ 1991 truce
A long-frozen conflict in Western Sahara erupted on Friday as Morocco attempted to end a trade blockade by the region’s independence movement, triggering the first major clashes since 1991.
The Moroccan army said it fired anti-tank weaponry to repel an attack by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front on a military outpost in the disputed territory, threatening to overwhelm the three-decade-old cease-fire negotiated by the United Nations.
Morocco said its forces had “neutralized the enemy” after Polisario struck positions near Mhabes. It didn’t mention casualties on either side.
Sustained fighting would put regional giants Morocco and Algeria on opposing sides, just as they both face the prospect of renewed anti-government unrest.
A Stalled Conflict in Sahara Risks Reigniting as Trade Blocked
Algeria “deplores the serious cease-fire violations,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement that called on both sides to show restraint and immediately halt military operations that could “affect the stability of the entire region.”
Stretching along the Atlantic coast and rich in minerals, Western Sahara is larger than the U.K. and has been bitterly contested since its 1975 annexation by Morocco after the withdrawal of ex-colonial power Spain. Sporadic fighting between Morocco and Polisario claimed about 9,000 lives over 16 years.
The apparent escalation came a few hours after Rabat said its soldiers would disperse dozens of pro-Polisario protesters who for weeks have been blocking trade at El Guergarat, an important hub for commerce with West Africa. El Guergarat is located in the southwestern extremity of the disputed territory, hundreds of miles away from Mhabes.
Regional Investment
In a statement, Morroco’s armed forces said they were undertaking a “non-offensive” operation in El Guergarat that “respects clear rules of engagement,” avoids contact with civilians and restricts use of firearms to self-defense.
The Polisario said its military units “reacted appropriately” after Morocco “opened three new breaches” in a sand berm that separates territory it controls from Moroccan-held parts of the Western Sahara.
A referendum on self-determination for the overall territory, part of the UN deal, has been continually delayed, mainly due to disputes over who would be eligible to vote.
Morocco, which saw anemic economic growth even before the Covid-19 pandemic, has pumped investment into the territory and plans a $1 billion port project.
The move on El Guergarat amounts to a declaration of war as it “undermined for good the 1991 cease-fire accord” binding the two parties, Sahara Press Service reported, citing a statement from Polisario leaders.
It called for full military mobilization for a “new and decisive phase” in its push for independence.
— With assistance by Salah Slimani
