Latest news with #BrahimGhali
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Polisario leadership rift deepens as Brahim Ghali blocks extraordinary congress
In the Tindouf camps, opposition to Brahim Ghali's leadership is gaining momentum, with a new petition signaling growing discontent. Reviewed by Yabiladi, the document warns that the «national cause is going through a critical and fragile phase», marked by «setbacks and failures, both internal and external», and a «troubling decline in how the national project is being managed». This stark assessment stands in sharp contrast to the triumphant rhetoric often echoed by the Polisario Front's media apparatus. The petition first criticizes the «war» launched on November 13, 2020, against Morocco, acknowledging «a loss of control over liberated territories, reduced room for maneuver on the ground, and a lack of a clear strategy to regain the initiative». This erosion of control, they add, has gone hand in hand with a «steady decline in international recognition of the Sahrawi Republic and growing acceptance of the reality imposed by the Moroccan occupation». Brahim Ghali Moves to Delay Polisario Congress The petition also highlights «the near-total breakdown of security in the camps and in areas previously under control», along with «a rise in arms trafficking and weapons falling into the hands of drug dealers». The authors also warn of «external attempts to undermine the national cause», noting that the first major test of these threats will come in October, when the UN Security Council is set to review the Western Sahara issue. «Despite repeated calls for the leadership and political elites to take these threats seriously, the national leadership, during its latest meeting on July 12–13 in the Tindouf camps, chose to ignore these dangers altogether», the petition states. «Even worse, it carried on as if everything were under control, showing just how disconnected it has become from reality and how far it's drifted from the national cause». Turning their criticism directly toward Brahim Ghali's camp, the signatories stress that «the legitimacy of any leadership is not a blank check, it's a contract between the rulers and the people». They accuse the Polisario leadership of breaking that contract by failing in its core duties: defending the homeland, protecting civilians, and upholding their dignity. The petition ends with a call to convene «an emergency national congress to correct the current course, restore balance, reinforce national unity, and rebuild public trust in the leadership». A similar appeal was made in July 2024 by Bachir Mustapha Sayed in a published article. Last May, other Polisario members had also called for an extraordinary congress to «save the movement from collapse». At the latest meeting of the Polisario's General Secretariat, held last week, calls for holding a regular congress in January 2026 clashed with a veto from Brahim Ghali and his allies, who pushed to delay the gathering by a full year. «That delay is still technically legal under Polisario's internal rules», a former member of the movement told Yabiladi. The outcome of the upcoming UN Security Council resolution on Western Sahara, expected at the end of October 2025, could prove decisive for Ghali's critics and their demands for change.
The South African
5 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
Western Sahara: 50-year independence fight blocked by Morocco
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in northwest Africa, bordered by Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania. It spans 266 000 km² and is home to approximately 620 000 people, mostly Sahrawis. Spain colonised the region in 1884 and withdrew in 1975 under the Madrid Accords, transferring administrative authority to Morocco and Mauritania, though no sovereignty was ceded. This triggered Morocco's annexation and the rise of the Polisario Front. Additionally, the United Nations (UN) recognises it as Africa's last non-self-governing territory. Morocco controls 70-80% of the land; the Polisario governs the rest as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The region remains under UN supervision pending decolonisation and a referendum. The Sahrawi population includes hundreds of thousands of Sahrawi refugees in Algerian camps near Tindouf. The Polisario Front is led by Brahim Ghali, who also heads the Sahrawi Republic. Morocco's 2007 autonomy plan proposes local governance under Moroccan sovereignty. France endorsed the plan in July 2024, joining the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Ghana reaffirmed its backing in June 2025, calling the plan 'the only viable solution'. The UK signed a joint communiqué supporting Morocco's proposal as 'credible and pragmatic'. The US maintains its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, initially stated in 2020. Furthermore, Morocco claims support from many countries, including Kenya and Guatemala. Despite this, the UN still considers Western Sahara a non-self-governing territory. Algeria backs the Polisario Front and hosts Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf. The Polisario insists on a UN-supervised referendum including independence. In July 2025, it reaffirmed the 1991 UN-African Settlement Plan as the only legal solution. Internal dissent is growing in Tindouf camps, with calls for leadership reform. Algeria condemned France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty and recalled its ambassador. The UN has criticised Morocco's refusal to allow human rights monitoring in the region. The European Court annulled trade deals involving Western Sahara due to a lack of Sahrawi consent. As a result, the conflict remains unresolved, with sporadic clashes and diplomatic tensions persisting. Morocco continues to exploit Western Sahara's phosphates and renewable energy. The Sahrawi Observatory (SONREP) reports illegal wind and solar projects, excluding locals. Green hydrogen projects in occupied Western Sahara risk exacerbating water scarcity and violating international legal standards due to a lack of Sahrawi consent. Foreign firms from France, China, and the UAE are involved in resource extraction and renewable energy projects in Western Sahara without Sahrawi consent. UN human rights experts condemned Morocco's demolition of Sahrawi homes linked to energy and infrastructure expansion. Human rights abuses include arbitrary detention, torture, and suppression of dissent. On the other hand, Morocco severely restricts UN access to Western Sahara for human rights monitoring. Civil society demands immediate humanitarian assistance and legal responsibility for any violations. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Ya Biladi
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
FAR drone strikes Polisario vehicle near Sand Wall
A Royal Armed Forces (FAR) drone struck a Polisario vehicle on Thursday, June 19. «The operation took place in the Karzaze region, near Mijek, east of the Sand Wall. The outcome of the strike remains unknown for now», a source familiar with the matter told Yabiladi. According to the same source, the Polisario elements had first crossed into Mauritanian territory clandestinely, intending to carry out an operation against Moroccan positions, before being targeted by the FAR drone. However, a Polisario-affiliated media outlet offered a different version of events, claiming the Moroccan drone targeted a «civilian vehicle» in the same area. It's worth noting that FAR drones had already targeted Polisario vehicles in Karzaze on May 29. This latest operation comes just 24 hours after Brahim Ghali presided over the graduation ceremony of a new cohort of the Front's armed militias on Wednesday.
Ya Biladi
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Polisario urges Mauritania to «work together against shared threats»
The leader of the Polisario Front has called on the Mauritanian president to «strengthen cooperation, consultation, and coordination to confront the risks and challenges facing our region». In a message of congratulations sent on the occasion of Eid al-Adha to Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Brahim Ghali suggested that such cooperation could help «our two peoples, and the peoples of the region, live in peace, security, stability, and good neighborliness». Ghali also emphasized «the shared destiny that binds the Sahrawi people to their brothers in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania». Relations between the Polisario and Nouakchott have remained cold, if not outright frozen, largely due to the Mauritanian army's decision to close the Lebriga region, a corridor previously used by Polisario fighters to launch attacks against Morocco. Brahim Ghali is known for leveraging religious, national, and even partisan occasions to appeal to heads of state and prime ministers. Examples include his message to Keir Starmer following the British Labour Party's victory in the snap elections on July 4, 2024, and his letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin dated May 7.
Ya Biladi
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Sahara : The Polisario appoints a new representative in Algiers
The Polisario Front has appointed a new «ambassador» to Algeria. Brahim Ghali chose Khatri Adouh, one of his closest allies, for this important role. Until Saturday, May 24, Adouh served as the «Minister of Education». This change is part of a political reshuffle, as he is replaced by Abdelkader Taleb Omar, who was previously the Polisario's representative in Algiers. Adouh, a member of the separatist movement's old guard, led the Front's delegations at the two Geneva round-table talks held in December 2018 and March 2019. These discussions, organized by Horst Köhler, the former UN Secretary-General's personal envoy for Western Sahara, involved Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Polisario. The new Polisario representative in Algiers met with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf on Monday, May 26. It is worth noting that the Tindouf camps, where Polisario leaders reside, are located in Algeria. Leadership changes have become frequent recently, following several diplomatic and military setbacks. On April 4, the Polisario appointed a new «Minister of Foreign Affairs».
