The Polisario Front took advantage of the alleged Moroccan-Saudi friction to thank Mohammed bin Salman for his country’s reconsideration of the Western Sahara conflict.
Rabat – Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz, younger brother of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, arrived in Morocco’s Laayoune on February 12 for a private visit.
The arrival of the Saudi coincided with news of growing tensions between Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Prior to the Saudi prince’s trip to Morocco, the Polisario thanked the Saudi kingdom for supposedly siding with their separatist claims on Western Sahara.
During his visit, however, Bin Abdulaziz shunned Polisario’s expectations, ditching claims that Saudi Arabia has been now reconsidering its position on the Western Sahara conflict.
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Meanwhile, pro-Polisario media that had praised Riyadh is now been complaining against the visit of the Saudi prince to Laayoune.
Separatist news outlet FuturoSahara reported that a Saudi prince is “conducting an illegal visit to the occupied city of Laayoune” in Western Sahara to practice bird hunting.
Emirati news outlet Erem News reported that the visit of the Saudi prince “destroys speculations” that there is a tension between Rabat and Riyadh.
In recent weeks, the Polisario Front took advantage of the alleged tension between Morocco and Saudi Arabia after Saudi-government owned television channel Al Arabiya aired an unfriendly documentary against Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Following rumors that Morocco recalled its ambassador Saudi Arabia to make a bold statement against a Morocco-hostile documentary made by the Saudis, Polisario’s “ambassador” to Algiers Abdelkader Taleb thanked Saudi Arabia for its position in an interview with Algerian news agency APS.
He also welcomed reforms made by King Salman of Saudi Arabia, including on Western Sahara, saying the conflict has enjoyed “reconsideration” from Saudi Arabia.
Morocco’s government has denied any possible tension between Saudi Arabia, or any other Gulf country.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita said that Morocco maintains strong diplomatic ties between all Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
