After Long Restraint, Moroccan Armed Forces Intervene, Polisario Flees And Sets On Fire Illegally Set Up Tents
Faced with the serious and unacceptable provocations of the “Polisario” militias in the buffer zone of Guergarate in the Moroccan Sahara, “Morocco has decided to act, in accordance with its attributions, its duties and in full compliance with international legality," the ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad said on Friday.
After having committed itself to the greatest restraint, in the face of provocations from the militias of the "Polisario", "the Kingdom of Morocco had no other choice but to assume its responsibilities in order to put an end to the deadlock situation generated by these actions and restore free civil and commercial movement,” the ministry pointed out in a statement.
The "Polisario" and its militias, which entered the area since October 21, 2020, carried out acts of banditry there, blocked the movement of people and goods on this road, and continually harassed the military observers of the Minurso, the ministry recalled, noting that these documented actions constitute real premeditated acts of destabilization, which alter the status of the area, violate military agreements and represent a real threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire.
These acts undermine the chances of any relaunch of the political process sought by the international community, the ministry said, noting that since 2016, the “polisario” has multiplied these dangerous and intolerable acts in this buffer zone, in violation of military agreements, in contempt for the calls to order launched by the UN Secretary General and in violation of the resolutions of the Security Council, in particular 2414 and 2440, which ordered the "Polisario" to put an end to these destabilizing acts.
The Kingdom of Morocco had then immediately alerted and regularly informed the UN Secretary General and senior UN officials about these extremely serious developments, the source added, stressing that Morocco had also drew the attention of the Security Council members and Minurso as well as several neighboring states to this situation.
The Kingdom of Morocco has given all the time necessary to the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations and MINURSO in order to push the "Polisario" to stop its destabilizing actions and leave the buffer zone of Guergerate, the ministry pointed out.
However, appeals from Minurso and the UN Secretary General, as well as the interventions of several members of the Security Council, have unfortunately been unsuccessful, the ministry noted, stressing that
"Morocco has therefore decided to act, in accordance with its attributions and its duties and in full compliance with international legality". The "Polisario" alone assumes full responsibility and the full consequences of these acts, the ministry concluded.
"Following the blocking by about sixty people supervised by armed militiamen of the Polisario of the road axis crossing the buffer zone of Guerguarate connecting the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and the prohibition of the right of passage, the Royal Armed Forces are setting up a security cordon in order to secure the flow of goods and people through this axis", the source pointed out.
"This non-offensive operation and without any bellicose intent is taking place according to clear rules of engagement, requiring to avoid any contact with civilians and to resort to the use of arms only in case of self-defense", the source added.
Morocco has shown a lot of patience and has continued to multiply the warnings in the face of the actions. provocateurs of the Polisario which has continued to hamper the free movement of goods and people in the Guergarate area. After the intervention of the Royal Armed Forces, the Polisario, in full rout, fled the area and set fire to the tents he had illegally set up behind him.