2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes
![]() | This article needs to be updated.(September 2021) |
2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Western Sahara conflict | |||||||||
![]() Map of the Western Sahara; location of Guerguerat, where the main clashes take place, is marked with a red circle. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Belligerents | |||||||||
![]() | |||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() | ||||||||
Units involved | |||||||||
![]() |
![]() | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
At least 2 soldiers killed[2][1] | At least 9 killed[3] | ||||||||
11 killed overall[4][5] |
The 2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes, also called the Guerguerat crisis and Moroccan military intervention in Guerguerat is an armed conflict between Morocco and the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), represented at the United Nations by the Polisario Front, in the disputed region of Western Sahara. It was the latest escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, which is largely occupied by Morocco, but 20–25% of which it is administered by the SADR.[6] The violence ended a ceasefire between the opposing sides that had held for 29 years in anticipation of referendum on self-determination that would have settled the dispute. Despite the establishment of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara in 1991, the referendum was never held.
Tensions between Morocco and the Polisario Front deepened in mid-October 2020 when Saharawi peaceful protesters blocked a controversial road connecting Western Sahara to sub-Saharan Africa. The protesters camped on the road near the small village of Guerguerat, where it passes through a 5-kilometer-wide buffer strip monitored by the UN. Despite the controversy, the route had grown in economic importance,[7] such that the protest stranded about 200 Moroccan truck drivers on the Mauritanian side of the border.[8] According to the Sahrawi authorities, the Moroccan forces were deployed near the area in early November,[9] with Mauritanian forces reinforcing their positions along its border with Morocco, which is controlled by the Polisario Front.[10]
On 13 November, Morocco launched a military operation from the Berm into the demilitarized buffer strip of Western Sahara to clear the protesters near Guerguerat and restore the free movement of goods and people. The Polisario Front urged the United Nations to intervene, noting that the Moroccan military operation violated the ceasefire agreements of the 1990's, and furthermore accused the Moroccan security forces of shooting at unarmed civilians in the buffer strip.[11][12] Morocco denied there had been any armed clashes between the sides and said the truce remained in place,[13] while SADR authorities declared the ceasefire over. Clashes spread that same day along the Moroccan Berm, with Morocco claiming that it had repelled a Sahrawi incursion near Al Mahbes.[14] The SADR declared war on Morocco the next day.[15] Since the beginning of the conflict, both countries have begun mass mobilisation and the SADR Ministry of Defense claims to be bombarding military objectives along the Moroccan Berm daily.[16][17][18] It is the first major clash over the region since 1991.[19]
Background[]
The disputed region Western Sahara is a sparsely-populated area mostly comprising desert territories, situated in the Maghreb region of Africa's northwest coast. The region was a Spanish colony until February 1976, when the Spanish government informed the United Nations that it withdrew from the territory. Since then, the region has been the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Morocco, supported by a number of its prominent Arab allies, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan,[20] and the Saharawi Republic (SADR), an African Union member state established by the Algerian-backed pro-independence Polisario Front, which is recognized by the United Nations as the legitimate representative of the indigenous Sahrawi people.[21] Some commentators have connected Morocco's interests over the region with the idea of Greater Morocco, which encompasses Western Sahara and parts of both Mauritania, Mali, and Algeria, and according to the narrative, was divided up by the French and Spanish colonizers.[20] Morocco, claiming Tindouf and Béchar provinces, invaded Algeria in 1963, resulting in the brief Sand War, which ended in a military stalemate.[22]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/MINURSO_Deployment_%28April_2014%29.png/400px-MINURSO_Deployment_%28April_2014%29.png)
While the Polisario Front had waged a low-intensity war of national liberation against Spanish colonial authorities since May 1973, the Western Sahara War began in October 1975, just weeks before the death of long-time Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, when Moroccan and Mauritanian forces,[23][24] aided by France,[25][26] invaded the Spanish colony. While Mauritania withdrew from Western Sahara and recognized the Saharawi Republic early in the conflict, by the end of the war Morocco had obtained control of more than two-thirds of the vast desert territory in its western part, along the Atlantic Ocean.[27] During the war, between 1980 and 1987, Morocco built six mostly sand barriers some 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) long,[28] and in 1988, both Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed to a UN Settlement Plan, approved by the UN Security Council on 29 April 1991, called for a referendum, which would ask the Sahrawis to choose between independence or integration into Morocco, to be organized and conducted by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).[29] After the war, on 6 September 1991, an UN-brokered ceasefire was signed,[30] promising a referendum on self-determination to the Sahrawis.[31] The United Nations has recognising the area as a non-self-governing territory since 1963; it is also the only African territory on the list, making the Western Sahara the last African territory subject to decolonization.[31][32] Despite the efforts, the planned referendum has been repeatedly delayed ever since then;[33] Morocco had refused the terms of the referendum, citing its dissatisfaction with who was allowed to vote,[34] while tens of thousands of Moroccans have emigrated to the region since the 1970s.[20]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Guerguerat_border_crossing.jpg/250px-Guerguerat_border_crossing.jpg)
Guerguerat is a small village located on the southern coast of the region, along the Moroccan National Route 1 leading to Mauritania, some 380 kilometres (240 mi) north of Nouakchott, in a buffer zone patrolled by MINURSO;[35] UN's envoy to the region, Horst Köhler, resigned in mid-2019 for health-related reasons.[36] The Polisario Front considers the road illegal since they say it was built in violation of the ceasefire.[37] Tensions yet again deepened between Morocco and the Polisario Front in mid-October, when unarmed Sahrawi refugees from Tindouf, Algeria (where Polisario-administered refugee camps house about 100,000 Sahrawi refugees[38]) passed through SADR-controlled territories to camp on and block the road in protest of what they called the plunder of Western Saharan resources from the Sahrawi people,[39] creating a large caravan of vehicles and blocking traffic in the region.[40] Morocco, which regards the region as vital to trade with sub-Saharan Africa,[7] accused the Polisario Front of infiltrating the buffer zone and "carrying out acts of banditry" in Guerguerat.[41] The Moroccan authorities also stated that the Polisario Front was harassing UN troops at the crossing, though the UN denied this.[31] In early November, around 200 Moroccan truck drivers appealed to Moroccan and Mauritanian authorities for help, saying they were stranded on the Mauritanian side of the border near Guerguerat, and adding that they didn't have access to drinking water, food, shelter, or medicine, with some suffering from chronic illnesses.[8] According to Jeune Afrique, Morocco first appealed to the United Nations to resolve the conflict peacefully, and that although the secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, approved this request, the situation was not resolved.[42] Guterres himself likewise said that he had launched numerous initiatives to evade an escalation in the buffer zone, but his efforts had failed.[43] On 8 November, Polisario Front authorities stated that Morocco was deploying a large number of police and other security forces near Guerguerat.[9] On 12 November, Mauritanian forces reinforced their positions along border Polisario Front-controlled territories bordering Mauritania.[10]
Course of the conflict[]
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by . (December 2020) |
2020[]
13 November
The clashes erupted on 13 November, when the Moroccan forces launched an offensive on Guerguerat to seize control of the road passing by the village,[44] which was blocked by around 50 Sahrawi activists.[45] According to Sahrawi sources, the Moroccan forces violated the ceasefire by penetrating the demilitarized zone,[46] crossing the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall in three different directions.[47] The Moroccan authorities stated that they had acted in self-defence, after a Sahrawi attack on Al Mahbes,[48] and launched an offensive to restore free circulation of civilian and commercial traffic in the area.[49] Later in the day, the Polisario Front stated that its forces fired upon four Moroccan bases and two checkpoints along the security wall.[50] Then, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces claimed full control over the Guerguerat border crossing.[1]
14 November
On 14 November, the SADR declared war on Morocco.[15] the Polisario Front then stated that its forces had launched attacks on Moroccan military positions near Bagari, Al Mahbes, and Guerguerat. Morocco denied that it suffered casualties.[51]
15 November
On 15 November, more skirmishing was reported between SADR and Moroccan forces along the security wall,[17] especially near Al Mahbes where Moroccan forces claimed to have destroyed an SPLA armoured vehicle.[52][53]
16 November
On 16 November, MINURSO reported continued skirmishing along the security wall.[54]
18 November
On 18 November, MINURSO reported harassing fire at points along the security wall.[55]
2021[]
23 January
POLISARIO soldiers fired four missiles Near a Moroccan-controlled border post at Guerguerat [56][57]
3 February
For the 43rd consecutive day, the SADR has claimed to attack Moroccan positions. The SADR Ministry of National Defense said they have carried out concentrated bombardments against Moroccan positions in Gararat Al-Firsik region, Mahbes sector. Along with intense bombardment in Um Dagan region, Al-Bagari sector; Ajbeilat Lajdar region, Guelta sector; and Lagseibiyin region, Farsía Sector. [58]
9 February
On Tuesday, February 9, the Polisario announced that it had killed three Moroccan soldiers the previous day in a specific attack in the Ouarkziz region of southern Morocco, near the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Contacted by the French press, the information was not denied by the Moroccan government.[59][60]
1 March
A spokesperson for António Guterres, the United Nations' Secretary-General, addressed the situation in Western Sahara during a daily press briefing. According to a near-verbatim transcript, he said that MINURSO "continues to receive unconfirmed reports of sporadic firing across the berm."[61]
8 April
The Polisario head of the gendarmerie Addah Al-Bendir was killed by what reports claim to be a drone strike, while attempting raid on Moroccan positions along berm.[62] Sahrawi Ministry of Defense reported the military commander’s “martyrdom,” confirming his death to AFP. However, moments after publishing the news in Saharawi news agency, the Sahrawi Ministry of Defense removed it from its official publication.[63]
Non-military actions taken by Morocco and SADR[]
On 13 November, both Morocco and SADR introduced mass mobilisation.[16][17] The SADR evacuated civilians from the Guerguerat area[45] and introduced a curfew in the territories under its control.[51]
Official statements[]
Morocco
On 13 November, the Authenticity and Modernity Party, the Party of Progress and Socialism, the Popular Movement Party, and the Independence Party voiced their support for the Moroccan military intervention.[64] The next day, the House of Representatives of Morocco issued a statement, stressing that the military intervention was legitimate.[65] On 16 November, King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, stated that Morocco will take necessary measures to "keep order and protect safety and fluidity of passenger and commercial traffic in the border area between Morocco and Mauritania", adding that the UN for failed in its "laudable attempts to end the unacceptable acts of the Polisario".[66] Also, Morocco's prime minister, Saadeddine Othmani, stated the operation led by the Moroccan forces was a strategic change to open the route in the Mauritania border.[67]
SADR
On 16 November, SADR's minister of foreign affairs Mohamed Salem Ould Salek stated that the end of the war was now linked to the "end of the illegal occupation of parts of the territory of the Sahrawi Republic", and that the war had started as a "consequence of Morocco's aggression and action in Guerguerat".[68]
Domestic reactions[]
Morocco
On 13 November, Sahrawi sources stated that there were mass protests in Laayoune, the unofficial capital of Western Sahara, which is de facto administered by Morocco, against the clashes.[69] The Moroccan media denied these claims, stating that the city's population was in support of the Moroccan forces, citing Laayoune's mayor.[70] Despite that, the NGO media outlet Équipe Media reported that the Moroccan government was exercising a strong police force, and had arrested several activists.[71] The next day, the same source stated that the Moroccan security forces had arrested several demonstrators in Smara.[72]
On 14 November, some Sahrawi tribal leaders issued a joint statement in support of the Moroccan intervention to restore free movement in Guerguerat.[73] More than fifty riders from the and the organized on 27 December until 3 January 2021 a trip from Casablanca to the Guerguerat border crossing in a way to express their support for the Moroccan army's move to secure the crossing.[74]
On 30 April 2021, Morocco granted Carles Puigdemont asylum. According to a source from the Moroccan foreign ministry, the decision was made in due to "the principle of reciprocity to host the Catalan independence leader" after Sahrawi President Brahim Ghali was allowed to go to Spain to get treated for COVID-19.[75]
International reactions[]
![]() | show This section may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (December 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions. |
Supranational and regional organizations
The secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres,[76] and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, expressed their grave concern over the conflict, with Faki stating "[The] Saharan issue has gone on for a long time and it has become urgent to solve it as a case of decolonization in the first place and to support the UN efforts in this regard."[77][78] The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stated that the EU was supporting the efforts of the United Nations to find a peaceful settlement for the conflict, per the Security Council resolutions, and stressing the insurance of freedom of movement in Guerguerat.[79] The secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Yousef Al-Othaimeen, and the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf, stated that they support Morocco's efforts to what they called "securing freedom of civil and commercial movement."[80][81] On 20 November, the Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, wrote a letter to the United Nations Security Council that called for "all the parties to uphold the Settlement Plan, which provides for 'a cease-fire' and the holding of a referendum for the people of Western Sahara to exercise their right to self-determination."[82] The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization released a statement voicing its support for Western Sahara and condemned Morocco's "unlawful assertion" of sovereignty over Western Sahara.[83]
Countries
Azerbaijan,[84] Bahrain,[85] the Central African Republic,[86] Comoros,[86] the Democratic Republic of the Congo,[87] Chad,[88][89] Djibouti,[90] Equatorial Guinea,[91] Gabon,[92][90] the Gambia,[93] Guinea-Bissau,[94] Haiti,[95] Jordan,[96] Kuwait,[97] Liberia,[98] Oman,[99] Qatar,[100] Sao Tome and Principe,[86] Saudi Arabia,[101] Senegal,[102] Sierra Leone,[103] Somalia,[104] Turkey,[105] Yemen (Hadi government),[106] the United Arab Emirates[107] and the United States[108] voiced their support for Morocco, while Guyana withdrew its recognition of the SADR.[109]
The Foreign Ministry of the State of Palestine, which has limited recognition, said it "does not interfere in the internal affairs of the brotherly Arab countries".[110] Egypt,[90] Mauritania,[111] Russia,[112] and Spain[113] have all urged both parties to respect the ceasefire.
South Africa, Algeria and several other states[who?] backed the Polisario Front, accused Morocco of violating the ceasefire and urged the UN to appoint a new Western Sahara envoy to restart talks.[114] Algeria also sent 60 tons of food and medical aid to the refugees in Western Sahara.[115] On the other hand, Spain's second deputy prime minister Pablo Iglesias Turrión,[116] Cuba,[117] and Venezuela[118] have stated that they supported the right to self-determination of the Sahrawis.
Minorities abroad[]
Sahrawis
On 15 November, a group of Sahrawis staged a rally in front of the Moroccan consulate in Valencia, Spain. The protestors dismantled the flag of Morocco from the consulate, raising the SADR's flag over the building.[119][120] Spain[121] and Morocco[122] condemned the incident.
Analysis[]
According to International Crisis Group's Portuguese analytic Riccardo Fabiani, the conflict could be a "potential breaking point that could have major repercussions", adding that the United Nations had been quite negligent towards this issue.[35]
Notes[]
- 1.^ Number of victims according to the International Crisis Group during the first week of combat. The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara has decided, at present, not to share information on the victims or the injured, according to its spokesperson.[123]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Morocco's Armed Forces 'Completely Secure' Guerguerat Border Crossing". Morocco World News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Time for International Re-engagement in Western Sahara". Crisis Group. 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Regional Overview: Africa | 3-9 April 2021". 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ acleddata.com/dashboard/#/dashboard
- ^ elconfidencial.com/mundo/2020-11-14/polisario-declara-fuego-prepara-guerra-marruecos_2832603/
- ^ "Sáhara Occidental – cuadro zonas mapa político-militar" (PDF) (in Spanish). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Polisario Front threatens to end Morocco ceasefire". Middle East Monitor. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Moroccan truckers stuck on Mauritania border urge help". Agence France-Presse. 7 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020 – via Arab News.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Polisario Front Warns Morocco Against Moving Troops Into Buffer Zone". Agence France-Presse. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020 – via Arab News.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Mauritania army reinforces positions along border with Morocco". Middle East Online. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco launches military operation in Western Sahara". Associated Press. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco Launches Military Operation in Western Sahara Buffer Zone". The New York Times. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco troops launch operation in Western Sahara border zone". Al Jazeera. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ Karam, Souhail (13 November 2020). "Military Clashes Erupt in Western Sahara After 30-Year Truce". Bloomberg. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Western Sahara independence group declares war on Morocco". Axios. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Kasraoui, Safaa (13 November 2020). "Morocco Mobilizes Army in Guerguerat in Response to Polisario's Provocations". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Morocco Forces Clash With Western Sahara Fighters, Risking Wider War". The Wall Street Journal. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Los ataques del ELPS prosiguen contra las fuerzas enemigas a lo largo del Muro de la Vergüenza". Sahara Press Service (in Spanish). Sahara Press Service. 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Moroccan army launches operation in Western Sahara border zone". Arab News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Martinez, Marta Rodriguez (17 November 2020). "Western Sahara: Who are the Polisario Front and what do they want?". Euronews. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Algeria: Western Sahara conflict is a colonialism issue". Middle East Monitor. 16 October 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ Mikaberidze, Alexander (31 July 2011). Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia. 1. p. 197. ISBN 9781598843361. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
Within weeks the war ended in stalemate
- ^ Damis, John (1983). "The Western Sahara Conflict: Myths and Realities". Middle East Journal. Middle East Institute. 37 (2): 169–179. JSTOR 4326560. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ Besenyő, János (January 2010). "The Occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco and Mauritania" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ Stephen Zunes (4 August 2010). Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution. Syracuse University Press. pp. 75–79. ISBN 978-0-8156-5258-8. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ David Sorenson (19 April 2018). Interpreting the Middle East: Essential Themes. Taylor & Francis. pp. 222–223. ISBN 978-0-429-97933-0. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Military Tensions Rise in Morocco-Polisario Western Sahara Conflict". Africanews. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ Belalloufi, Amal (7 February 2017). "Life behind the Sahara desert 'wall of shame'". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "The United Nations Operation in the Western Sahara". Human Rights Watch. 1 October 1995. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Abdelaziz, Salma (10 November 2010). "Deadly clashes reported in disputed Western Sahara". CNN News. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Paget, Sharif; McCluskey, Mitchell (15 November 2020). "Deadly clashes reported in disputed Western Sahara". CNN News. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Non-Self-Governing Territories". United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ Belalloufi, Amal (14 November 2020). "The Western Sahara conflict reignites". The North Africa Journal. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Popoviciu, Andrei (18 November 2020). "The failed diplomacy between Morocco and Polisario". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Morocco troops launch operation in Western Sahara border zone". Al Jazeera. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Note to correspondents: Resignation of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, former President of Germany, Horst Köhler". United Nations. 22 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Dahir, Abdi Latif (13 November 2020). "Morocco Launches Military Operation in Western Sahara Buffer Zone". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ "Algeria/Western Sahara: Three Dissidents Behind Bars". Human Rights Watch. 16 July 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Dahir, Abdi Latif (14 November 2020). "Western Sahara Ends Truce With Morocco". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ "Activistas saharauis bloquean el paso del Guerguerat, principal carretera de conexión con Mauritania". Público (in Spanish). 25 October 2020. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Rabat deploys army in WSahara border zone after Polisario warnings". Radio France Internationale. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020 – via Arab News.
- ^ "Maroc : que s'est-il vraiment passé à Guerguerate ?". Jeune Afrique (in French). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Saleh, Heba (15 November 2020). "MaroWestern Sahara launches attacks on Morocco, ending 30-year truce". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Fears grow of new Western Sahara war between Morocco and Polisario Front". Reuters. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "El ejército de Marruecos y el Frente Polisario intercambian disparos en el sur del Sáhara Occidental". El País (in Spanish). 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "El Frente Polisario acusa a Marruecos de violar el alto el fuego tras la intervención del ejército en una protesta en el Sáhara". Público (in Spanish). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "El Polisario acusa a Rabat de violar la tregua y responde a una agresión marroquí en el paso de Guerguerata". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco's Army Neutralizes Polisario Attack in Mahbes". Morocco World News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Ceasefire declared over as Morocco launches Western Sahara military operation". Middle East Eye. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "El Polisario ataca 4 bases y dos puestos de control de Marruecos en el muro". Clarín (in Spanish). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Marruecos reconoce "hostigamientos" del Frente Polisario, pero sin víctimas mortales". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco's Armed Forces Respond to Polisario Attacks Along Defense Line". Morocco World News. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco's king warns Polisario after rivals clash in W.Sahara". Arab News. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco's king warns Polisario after rivals clash in W.Sahara". Arab News. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Kasraoui, Safaa (18 November 2020). "Western Sahara: MINURSO Continues to Receive Reports of Shots Fired". Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ magazine, Le Point (24 January 2021). "Sahara: le Polisario bombarde une zone contrôlée par Rabat, menace d'une "escalade"". Le Point (in French). Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ "Sahara occidental : les indépendantistes du Front Polisario menacent le Maroc d'une "escalade militaire"". Franceinfo (in French). 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ "Las posiciones de las fuerzas de ocupación marroquí continúan siendo blanco de los ataques del ELPS". Sahara Press Service (in Spanish). 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Le Front Polisario affirme avoir tué trois militaires marocains". Le Monde.fr (in French). 10 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
The Polisario Front claims to have killed three Moroccan soldiers. Rabat has so far neither confirmed nor denied this announcement made by the Saharawi independence movement.
- ^ magazine, Le Point (24 January 2021). "Sahara: le Polisario bombarde une zone contrôlée par Rabat, menace d'une "escalade"". Le Point (in French). Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General". United Nations. 1 March 2021. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ "Polisario Says Police Chief Killed In Western Sahara". www.barrons.com. AFP-Agence France Presse. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Sahara occidental : un chef militaire du Front Polisario tué par un drone marocain". Le Monde.fr (in French). 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "National Political Parties Welcome Morocco's Decision to Secure Guergarate Crossing". Maghreb Arabe Press. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Guergarate: Lower House Stresses Legitimacy of Morocco's Actions". Maghreb Arabe Press. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco's King Says Determined to React Against Any Security Threat". Asharq Al-Awsat. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ "Royal Armed Forces' Operation, 'Strategic Change' Putting End to Attempts to Block Guerguarat: El Othmani". Maghreb Arabe Press. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Polisario Says Conflict to End when Morocco Ends 'Occupation'". Naharnet. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Los saharauis salen a las calles de El Aaiún ocupado y se enfrentan a las autoridades ocupantes". EcSaharaui (in Spanish). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Inhabitants of Laâyoune Fully Support Morocco's Decision To Act in Guergarate (Ould Errachid)". Maghreb Arabe Press. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "España condena la colocación de una bandera del Frente Polisario en el consulado de Marruecos en Valencia". Nius Diario (in Spanish). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "La represión se intensifica en el Sahara Occidental ocupado". EcSaharaui (in Spanish). 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Shioukhs of Sahrawi Tribes Back Efforts to Restore Free Movement in Guergarate". Maghreb Arabe Press. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "نادي الدراجين المغاربة ، والنادي الملكي للكرة الحديدية في زيارة لمعبر الكركرات : الثوابت الوطنية فوق كل اعتبار". Nabaa 24 (in Arabic). 3 January 2021. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
- ^ "Morocco grants asylum to former Catalan leader in response to Polisario visit to Spain". Middle East Monitor. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Guterres 'remains committed' to maintaining 1991 ceasefire in Western Sahara". UN News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Statement of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, on the tensions in the Guerguerat buffer zone". African Union. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "مفوضية الإتحاد الإفريقي تعرب عن قلقها البالغ وتلح على تسوية القضية الصحراوية بإعتبارها قضية تصفية إستعمار" (in Arabic). 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Is the EU trying to mediate between Morocco and Algeria?". Yabiladi. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "OIC Supports Morocco's Measures to Secure Freedom of Civil and Commercial Movement in Guerguerat". Saudi Press Agency. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "The Gulf Cooperation Council supports Moroccos measures to ensure the smooth..." Al Khaleej. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "S/2020/1132" (PDF). United Nations Security Council.
- ^ "UNPO Statement on Western Sahara". 11 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ Mebtoul, Taha (4 December 2020). "Western Sahara: Azerbaijan Supports Morocco's Action in Guerguerat". Morocco World News. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "Bahrain expresses its solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco against the attacks of the "Polisario" militias". Aluom. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "European voices join wave of support to Morocco's action against Polisario militias in Guerguerat". Northafricapost. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ "SAHARA- GUERGUARAT: LE PRÉSIDENT DE LA RDC APPORTE SON SOUTIEN AU MAROC". Agence Afrique. 27 November 2020. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "Tchad Diplomatie". Facebook (in French). Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Le Tchad condamne l'obstruction par les milices du "polisario" de la circulation des biens et des personnes à El Guerguarat". Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "El Guerguerate: Plusieurs pays africains soutiennent le Maroc". Yabiladi (in French). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Le Gouvernement de la République de Guinée Équatoriale a exprimé sa solidarité et appui au Gouvernement du Royaume du Maroc pour une initiative qu'il a qualifié de juste et légitime, conformément à la légalité internationale" (in French). MFAC. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Sécurisation d'El Guerguerate : Le Gabon soutient les initiatives marocaines". Gabonreview (in French). 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ "Guergarate: large soutien africain à l'action du Maroc". Le Petit Journal Marocain (in French). 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Guinea-Bissau reitera su apoyo permanente a la marroquinidad del Sáhara (Ministra de Exteriores)". mapnews.ma (in Spanish). 23 October 2020. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Haïti - Diplomatie : Haïti prend position dans le conflit frontalier au Maroc". haitilibre.com (in French). 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "الأردن يقف مع المغرب في حماية مصالحه ووحدة أراضيه وأمنه". Al Ghad (in Arabic). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "دولة الكويت تؤيّد "الإجراءات" التي اتخذها المغرب في منطقة الكركرات". Euronews (in Arabic). 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Liberia Voices Support for Morocco's Operation in Guerguerat". GNN Liberia. 21 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "الإمارات وقطر تعلنان دعمهما لتدخل الجيش المغربي في الكركرات". Alyaoum24 (in Arabic). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "السلطنة تعرب عن تأييدها للمملكة المغربية الشقيقة فيما اتخذته من إجراءات لحماية أمنها وسيادتها على أراضيها". Shabiba (in Arabic). 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia supports Morocco's measures to ensure freedom of traffic in Guerguerat". Union of OIC News Agencies. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Le président sénégalais salue le "sens de la mesure et de la retenue" du Maroc pour maintenir la stabilité à El Guerguarat". Afrique24 (in French). 19 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Sahara: Sierra Leone Affirms Support for Moroccan Autonomy Initiative". Maroc.ma. 30 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ Hatim, Yahia (17 November 2020). "Somalia Expresses Support for Morocco's Operation in Guerguerat". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Dag, Burak (15 November 2020). "W. Sahara: Turkey voices support for political solution". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "اليمن تؤيد الاجراءات المغربية لضمان عودة الحركة الطبيعية في منطقة معبر الكركرات" (in Arabic). Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ al-Abdalawi, Taj-Eddin (14 November 2020). "UAE backs Morocco over Western Sahara border zone". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Trump Recognizes Morocco's Sovereignty Over Western Sahara". Morocco World News. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Guyana withdraws recognition of pseudo-SADR". The North Africa Post. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Palestine Ambassador to Algeria Attacks Morocco's Territorial Integrity". Morocco World News. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ "Tensions flare in Western Sahara as pro-independents Polisario accuse Morocco of ending ceasefire". France24. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Comment by the Information and Press Department on the developments in Western Sahara". Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Spain calls for "responsibility and restraint" in Western Sahara". The Diplomat in Spain. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Fears Grow of New Western Sahara War Between Morocco and Polisario Front". US News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Aydemir, Mücahit (16 November 2020). "Algeria sends 60 tons of aid to West Sahara refugees". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "ÚLTIMA HORA | El Vicepresidente de España, Pablo Iglesias pide la celebración de un referéndum en el Sáhara Occidental". EcSaharaui (in Spanish). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Reafirma Cuba apoyo a solución en Sahara Occidental". Prensa Latina (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Cancillería Venezuela [@CancilleriaVE] (14 December 2020). "Venezuela reiterates solidarity with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and demands compliance with UN resolutions" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 April 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "España condena el intento de colocar la bandera saharaui en el consulado marroquí de Valencia". El Español (in Spanish). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "El Gobierno condena el "intento" de colocar la bandera saharaui en el consulado de Marruecos en Valencia". Okdiario (in Spanish). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Manifestantes saharauis colocan la bandera del Frente Polisario en el Consulado de Marruecos en Valencia". Vozpópuli (in Spanish). 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Morocco Condemns in the Strongest Terms Acts of Vandalism and Violence against its Consulate in Valencia". Maghreb Arabe Press. 15 November 2020. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- Western Sahara
- Conflicts in 2020
- 2020 in Morocco
- 2020 in Western Sahara
- 2020 in international relations
- Battles in 2020
- Wars involving Morocco
- History of Western Sahara
- November 2020 events in Africa
- Conflicts in 2021
- 2021 in Morocco
- 2021 in Western Sahara
- 2021 in international relations
- 2020s conflicts
- Battles in 2021