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Rabat- The Polisario Front is continuing to defy a United Nations call to withdraw from Guerguerat in a peaceful and orderly manner to avoid further escalation in ongoing tensions.
By indulging in dangerous provocations, they are creating further instability in the area by their bold disregard for the authority of the United Nations.
On February. 26, Morocco began a unilateral withdrawal from Guerguerat on the instructions of King Mohammed VI. The day before, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed to the king that he “was deeply concerned about the increase in tensions in the vicinity of Guerguerat.”
Guterres urged both parties to “unconditionally withdraw all armed elements from the Buffer Strip as soon as possible, to create an environment conducive to a resumption of the dialogue in the context of the political process led by the United Nations.”
The Polisario Front, however, has since shown little motivation to comply with the U.N. request. In fact, Morocco’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the area seems to have prompted the Polisario into committing illegal acts such as harassing and threatening Moroccans moving through the area.
According to Moroccan newspaper Al-Alam, mouthpiece of the Istiqlal party, the Polisario Front is provoking tensions by confiscating passports of Moroccans as they make their way out of the area at impromptu checkpoints. These illegal acts have affected “Moroccan trucks going to Mauritania.”
Al-Alam speculated that the Polisario Front is simply reacting to Morocco’s successful bid to return to the African Union and their failed attempt to block it.
On February 27, the U.N. welcomed Morocco’s decision to withdraw from the Guerguerat region, deeming it a “positive” move. Morocco took taken full heed of the U.N.’s recommendations and concerns, and this move was greeted warmly by the U.N. through the secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. “We obviously welcome the move, and we see it as a positive movement,” he said.
France and Spain have also lauded Morocco for withdrawing its security forces from the region.
