Special to WorldTribune.com
WASHINGTON — The Algerian-backed Polisario movement has expanded operations beyond Western Sahara.
Analysts said Polisario has moved from Western Sahara into neighboring Mali. They said Polisario fighters killed one man and abducted another three in the first attack reported outside of Western Sahara.
“This criminal act makes the situation explosive in the sub-region and represents a turning point for the neighboring countries,” Peter Pham, a director at the Atlantic Council, said.
In an interview with the official Moroccan news agency, MAP, Pham, head of the Ansari Center for Africa, said the entry of Polisario was raising
tension throughout the region. He pointed to Polisario’s cooperation with Al Qaida Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, which also operates in Mali.
Mali has acknowledged the new Polisario presence in the African state, which borders Algeria. A minister in Mali warned that his country was ready
to attack suspected Polisario strongholds.
