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Morocco World
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Sahrawi NGOs Condemn Polisario Attack on Es-Smara, UN Mission Launches Field Investigation
Rabat – A coalition of Sahrawi NGOs has strongly condemned the recent projectile attack near the southern Moroccan city of Es-Smara, calling it a 'hostile act' and a grave violation of Morocco's sovereignty and international law. The incident, which caused panic among residents but resulted in no casualties, is widely believed to be the latest in a series of attacks carried out by the Polisario Front. The explosions occurred in an uninhabited area a few kilometers outside the city, close to a MINURSO camp. Images and videos shared online showed debris from the projectiles scattered in the area. The United Nations Mission in the Sahara (MINURSO) visited the impact sites on Friday evening to conduct an on-the-ground assessment, according to local reports. The field visit, conducted in coordination with members of Morocco's Royal Armed Forces, aimed to assess the damage and collect data for a detailed report that will be submitted to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In a statement released after the incident, the coalition of Sahrawi NGOs expressed deep concern over what it described as the Polisario Front's continued breach of the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement. It accused the group of intentionally targeting areas close to civilians in a desperate attempt to destabilize the region and spread fear. Algeria under scrutiny The coalition said local authorities recovered explosive shells near the urban center of Es-Smara, warning that such acts were aimed at harming civilians and striking at Morocco's territorial integrity. The attack 'signals an intentional targeting of a civilian urban environment in order to impose a new, unstable reality in the region,' the group said, adding that Algeria's support and silence made it complicit in the escalation. The statement blamed Algeria for allowing a non-state armed group to operate from its territory and carry out attacks against Morocco. According to the coalition, Algeria's failure to control its borders and prevent such escalations makes it fully responsible for the ongoing military provocations. It also warned that this incident reflects a pattern of indiscriminate violence and deliberate targeting of populated areas, contradicting Polisario's claims that it only strikes military sites. 'This, it argues, constitutes a breach of international law, norms, and conventions, and must be met with an appropriate international response.' The NGO coalition reiterated its solidarity with the residents of Es-Smara and called on the UN Security Council to act swiftly to preserve peace and stability in the region. It urged Algeria to support peaceful dialogue and UN-led efforts to find a political solution to the conflict, instead of backing armed provocations. This latest incident comes less than two years after a similar attack in Es-Smara in 2023, which killed one person and injured three others. In that case, Morocco's UN ambassador Omar Hilale stated that the blasts struck civilian neighborhoods and noted that the Polisario had issued a statement indirectly taking responsibility. 'There were no military installations at any of the sites,' Hilale said in a press conference after the incident, adding that 'targeting civilians is a terrorist act under international law, and those responsible will not go unpunished.' Hilale also emphasized that those behind the attacks, as well as those who arm and support them, must be held accountable. He specifically referred to Algeria, which has been hosting, financing, and fully backing the Polisario for decades. Polisario faces US pressure Meanwhile, in the United States, a bipartisan effort is underway to designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization. US Republican Senator Joe Wilson and Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta recently introduced the bill, which cites the group's attacks on civilians and its renewed armed activities following the collapse of the 2020 ceasefire. Wilson described Polisario as a 'Marxist militia backed by Iran, Hezbollah and Russia providing Iran a strategic outpost in Africa and destabilizing the Kingdom of Morocco, a US ally for 248 years.' The legislation cites the Polisario's indiscriminate attacks on civilians and its rearmament after the collapse of the 2020 ceasefire. Lawmakers from both parties argue that this designation would enable enhanced sanctions, travel bans, and financial restrictions against the group. The bill reflects growing US concerns over renewed violence, especially following the ceasefire ending in late 2020. Meanwhile, Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara has been gaining significant diplomatic backing recently. Rabat's comprehensive plan currently receives support from at least 113 countries, and the momentum is quickly growing. In 2020, the US officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and expressed support for the Autonomy Plan, with American officials recently reiterating this stance. In addition, France positively shifted tone in July 2024, labeling Morocco's 2007 autonomy proposal 'the only basis' for a just, lasting, UN-compliant settlement On June 1 this year, the United Kingdom became the third permanent UN Security Council member, after the US and France, to endorse Morocco's autonomy plan, calling it 'the most credible, viable and pragmatic' path forward. Tags: AlgeriaEs SmaraPolisarioSaharaWestern sahara
Morocco World
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Four Projectiles Land Near Es-Smara, No Casualties Reported
Rabat – Four projectiles reportedly landed today near the city of Es-Smara in southern Morocco. According to local media and eyewitnesses, the ordnance fell in an uninhabited area close to a military camp used by the UN MINURSO mission. No injuries or damages have been reported. The loud explosions frightened nearby residents, who rushed to the scene after hearing the blasts. Videos and photos shared on social media show what appeared to be the remains of the projectiles scattered in the area. photos shared on social media show what appeared to be the remains of the projectiles scattered in the area. The Polisario Front is believed to be behind the attack, especially with the separatist group's suspected involvement in similar incidents in the past. In 2023, four explosions killed one person and injured three others in the southern Moroccan city. The explosions occurred in two residential neighborhoods and an industrial area in the city. Soon after, Morocco launched an official investigation into the incident. The General Prosecutor at the Laayoune Court of Appeals ordered technical and ballistic analysis to determine the origin and nature of the explosive projectiles. Morocco's Permanent Representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, said that MINURSO had confirmed the explosions hit civilian neighborhoods, and that the Polisario had issued a statement indirectly taking responsibility. 'There were no military installations at any of the sites,' Hilale said in a press conference after the incident, adding that 'targeting civilians is a terrorist act under international law, and those responsible will not go unpunished.' Hilale also emphasized that those behind the attacks, as well as those who arm and support them, must be held accountable. He specifically referred to Algeria, which has hosted and financed the Polisario for decades. This new incident comes amid growing international scrutiny of the Polisario. US Republican Senator Joe Wilson and Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta recently introduced a bipartisan bill that calls for the group to be designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The bill references the group's targeting of civilians and its return to violence following the collapse of the ceasefire in 2020. If passed, the bill could reshape how the US and other allies deal with Polisario and its supporters. Tags: Es SmaraexplosionPolisario
Morocco World
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Hilale Slams UN Security Council Report for Biased Western Sahara Paragraph
Doha – Morocco's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, has formally challenged the UN Security Council over a biased paragraph concerning Morocco's Western Sahara in its latest report to the General Assembly. In a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Security Council's president and members, Hilale expressed Morocco's 'profound surprise and firm rejection' of the singling out of 'two parties' in the paragraph about the Sahara. The missive was sent following the Council's adoption of its 2024 informative report to the General Assembly on May 30. The Moroccan diplomat pointed out that the introduction to the Security Council's report specifies in its final paragraph that the section's purpose 'is not to provide an exhaustive list of meetings, developments or Council responses,' but rather 'a succinct and useful overview of the main developments throughout the year.' Hilale blasted the contested paragraph for 'flagrantly deviating' from this directive, which has guided the drafting of previous annual reports. He charged that instead of faithfully reporting the Security Council's position and sincere efforts toward a political, just, and sustainable solution to this regional dispute, it presents 'a partisan and unbalanced reading' of positions expressed within the Council. 'This paragraph reflects only, in a selective and non-contextualized manner, the national position of the introduction's writer and that of a non-permanent Security Council member,' Hilale declared, noting it 'silences the contributions and positions expressed by other members,' thus 'moving away from the consensus within this body.' The ambassador firmly asserted that contrary to the paragraph's claim, the Security Council has established four parties to the political process: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the separatist Polisario Front, citing them five times in all its resolutions since 2018. Morocco's representative stressed that no report from the Secretary-General nor any General Assembly resolution singles out two parties at the expense of the four stakeholders in the political process. A futile attempt to derail the growing international momentum He added that the writer's biased approach is contradicted by the current international momentum, marked by widespread support for resolving this regional dispute solely on the basis of Morocco's Autonomy Plan, respecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Moroccan envoy continued that this serious and credible initiative enjoys strong and open support from 116 countries. This includes two permanent Security Council members, with the United Kingdom joining just yesterday, as well as three non-permanent members who sat on the Council in 2024, and six among the current non-permanent members. Hilale condemned how this approach 'discredits the Security Council's work vis-à-vis the General Assembly' by departing from the established practice of factuality and neutrality that traditionally characterizes Security Council reports to the General Assembly. He warned it also 'raises questions about the General Assembly's confidence in the integrity of reports transmitted to it by the Security Council.' 'Instead of attempting to mislead the General Assembly by referring to his national position and that of a non-permanent Council member who is also a main party to this dispute, the writer of this section should have demonstrated neutrality and objectivity,' the diplomat thundered. He further insisted that the writer should have informed the General Assembly about the constants and foundations of the political process established by the Security Council. The Moroccan representative lambasted the writer for opposing the restoration of factuality in this section by invoking a supposed 'procedural integrity,' which 'cannot take precedence when such a flagrant inaccuracy is reported at any stage.' Hilale went on to say that the report's objectivity and factuality are 'a political prerequisite to the Security Council's mission as guarantor of the political process' for resolving the Sahara question. For all these reasons, Morocco firmly denounces this failure to maintain the rigor, impartiality, and integrity of this section of the report. The country also rejects the politically motivated distortion of this paragraph, which 'can only be perceived as a vain attempt to undermine the international momentum in favor of the political process undertaken under the exclusive auspices of the United Nations.' The letter has also been transmitted to the General Assembly president and the secretary-general, and will be published as an official document of both the Security Council and the General Assembly. Read also: Hilale: 'Sahara Occupation Ended with Provinces' Return to Morocco' Tags: Ambassador Omar HilaleUN Security CouncilWestern sahara
Morocco World
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Hilale Lectures Algeria's Regime on Regional Destabilization, Hypocrisy, and Support of Separatism
Rabat — Omar Hilale, Morocco's Permanent Ambassador to the UN, has reiterated the Algerian regime's direct involvement in challenging Morocco's territorial integrity in a final statement as part of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C24). Hilale's statement came in response to Algeria's regime claims, arguing that Algeria is not a party to the Western Sahara dispute. In his response, the Moroccan ambassador recalled his recent statements on Algeria's responsibility in the dispute, noting that what he previously said are 'real and documented facts openly assumed by Algeria.' Earlier this week, Hilale stressed how Algeria has been using the separatist Polisario group as a political tool to challenge Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara. 'Despite Morocco's commitments and the UN's sustained efforts, the political process to resolve this regional dispute continues to be hindered by Algeria's delaying tactics,' Hilale said, recalling Algeria's repeated attempts to obfuscate its role in the Western Sahara dispute. In response to Hilale's remarks, the Algerian delegation accused Morocco of targeting Algiers during the event and has once again shirked the country's responsibility in the dispute, despite financing, arming, training, and harboring the Polisario Front and backing its independence claims in Western Sahara. Algeria's continued delusions Responding to Algeria's claims, Hilale dismissed the Algerian regime's claims, saying: 'Who created the Polisario? It was Algeria. Where is it located? On Algerian territory. Who finds it? Algeria. Who leads diplomatic campaigns against Morocco? Again, it's Algeria.' Hilale also shut down Algeria's regime observer allegations, noting that the country suffers from an 'incurable schizopehrinic pathology.' 'It claims not to be a party, yet has been blocking the resumption of the political process for the past three years, thus obstructing a political resolution of this regional dispute,' he added. Algeria has been blocking the UN-led political process, frequently renewing its reluctance to engage in UN-sponsored roundtable talks. The Algerian regime prefers to refer to itself as merely an observer, despite its direct involvement in the dispute, declining to engage in UN talks to contribute to finding a realistic and pragmatic solution. Hilale recalled how Algeria's narrative is 'stuck in the year 2000 and completely ignores the major developments of the past 25 years.' 'Why does Algeria never refer to Security Council resolutions since 2000? Because they contradict Algeria's foundational position, having buried the referendum, recognizing the pre-eminence of Morocco's autonomy initiative, explicating assigning responsibility to Algeria, and acknowledging the international momentum behind the Moroccan initiative,' Hilale added. Recently, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita said that over 116 countries now support the Moroccan initiative, in addition to the major recognitions of Morocco's territorial integrity by powerhouses like the US and France. 'Mecca' of destabilization Echoing Bourita's remarks, Hilale debunked the Algerian regime's narrative, noting that if Algeria 'wants to lend credibility to its discourse, it should first grant this right to the people living on its own territory – the Kabyle people – who demand for self-determinations dates back to well before the very creation of the Algerian regime.' He also described Algeria as the 'Mecca' of destabilization, terrorist groups, separatism, and 'all those who take up arms against their own countries.' Hilale's remarks came amid growing appeals from politicians who urge their countries — including the US, UK, and France — to designate the separatist group as a terrorist organization. Tags: Algeria and the Western SaharaAlgeria and Western Sahara
Maroc
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Maroc
C24: The Sahara is Moroccan by History, Law and the Free Expression of its Populations
Morocco's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Omar Hilale, affirmed during the regional seminar of the UN Committee of 24 (C24) for the Pacific that the Sahara is Moroccan by history, law, and the free expression of its populations. "The Sahara is Moroccan by history, law, and the free expression of its populations. It is now time for other parties to recognize this and build together a future of peace, stability, and cooperation for our region and our continent," Hilale emphasized during this seminar, held from May 21 to 23 in Dili, Timor-Leste. The ambassador also denounced Algeria's delaying tactics that are hindering the resolution of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, as well as its strategy of destabilization in the Maghreb region and beyond. "Despite Morocco's commitments and the United Nations' constant efforts, the political process to settle this regional dispute continues to be hampered by Algeria's delaying tactics, which, while claiming not to be a party to the conflict, nevertheless plays a central role," he said, noting that Algeria hosts, arms, finances, and diplomatically supports the separatist group "polisario," and persists in an unrealistic and destabilizing stance in the region. He pointed out that in the face of this impasse maintained by Algeria, the international community seems to have made a decision, citing in this regard the ongoing withdrawal of recognition of the puppet entity, while more than 116 States around the world have expressed explicit support for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative. Similarly, around thirty countries have opened consulates general in Laayoune and Dakhla, thus recognizing Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces, he added. Referring to the Committee's continued examination of the Moroccan Sahara issue, ambassador Hilale noted that this situation wrongly condemns the issue to a rigid interpretation through a prism disconnected from the profound evolution that this issue has undergone and continues to undergo. "As you know, upon its accession to the United Nations, the Kingdom of Morocco initiated efforts with the 4th Committee and the C24 for the liberation of its Sahara from colonial rule. After nearly two decades of tough negotiations, Morocco was able to recover its Saharan provinces by virtue of the Madrid Agreement of November 1975, which the United Nations General Assembly acknowledged in its Resolution 3458B of December 1975," the ambassador emphasized. He added that since then, and following Algeria's creation of the armed separatist group "polisario," the question of the Moroccan Sahara has become a matter of peace and security, justifying its treatment by the Security Council under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. He further noted that the Security Council has definitively ruled out the option of a "self-determination referendum," which had been raised by some, emphasizing that the UN Secretary-General concluded in his report of February 17, 2000 (S/2000/131) that "an orderly and consensual implementation of the Settlement Plan" was impossible. Since then, the Security Council has resolutely turned towards finding a mutually acceptable political solution, in line with the reality on the ground and the imperatives of regional stability, he said, recalling that all Security Council resolutions underline the need to reach a political solution based on compromise. In Hilale's view, this paradigm shift reflects the United Nations' desire to move away from a rigid, binary approach and embrace an approach adapted to the evolving global perception of the situation and respectful of international law. "These developments have paved the way for the emergence of the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative as the sole basis for a lasting settlement in accordance with international law," the ambassador said, affirming that this Initiative, presented in 2007 and described by the Security Council as serious and credible, indeed constitutes an innovative and bold proposal for resolving this dispute. It provides for the granting of broad autonomy to the populations of the Sahara within the framework of the sovereignty and the territorial unity of the Kingdom of Morocco, he continued. Morocco's Permanent Representative to the UN also underlined that the Kingdom remains committed to a lasting political solution and extends its hand to all those who sincerely wish to turn the page on this regional dispute and pave the way for cooperation that is beneficial to all. He noted, however, that "this commitment cannot be one-sided or eternal. It presupposes a genuine desire for dialogue on the part of the other parties, particularly Algeria, whose role can no longer be ignored. The key to progress in the political process lies in Algiers, as the former Personal Envoy, the late Peter Van Walssum, noted in 2008." The Ambassador affirmed that the time has come to reassess with clarity and courage the way this issue is being addressed within this Committee. Mr. Hilale, along with Moroccan Ambassador to Jakarta Redouane Houssaini, is leading an important delegation to the C24 regional seminar. The delegation is composed of several officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, in addition to the Vice President of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS). Two elected officials from the Moroccan Sahara, Ms. Ghalla Bahiya from the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region and Mr. M'hamed Abba from the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra Region, are participating in this seminar at the invitation of the Committee's President, as has been the case for several years. MAP:22 mai 2025
