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Rabat – The US has firmly condemned Polisario’s ongoing threats to regional stability amid reports confirming new terrorist attacks targeting Morocco’s southern province of Es-Semara.
The statement came after Polisario claimed responsibility earlier this week for an attack involving three projectiles targeting the city. Reports said a woman was injured and taken to the hospital, with authorities reportedly denying any significant material damage.
The US mission to the UN said Polisario’s actions are inconsistent with US-facilitated dialogue aimed at bringing the parties together to reach a mutually acceptable and agreed-upon solution to the Western Sahara dispute under the UN framework.
“The time to end this 50-year-old dispute is now,” the mission wrote, sending a direct and explicit message to Polisaro and Algeria’s regime, which have been reluctant to engage in the UN-led political process, hampering a political settlement to end the dispute.
The US also recalled the UN Security Council Resolution 2797, reaffirming Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only political framework capable of ending the dispute.
“The Moroccan Autonomy Proposal lays out the path to peace in Western Sahara. We call on all those resisting peace to genuinely commit to a brighter future. The status quo cannot continue,” the US mission concluded.
This is not an isolated incident, as the separatist group has carried out several attacks seeking to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity and security.
The attacks also come amid congressional bills warning against Polisario’s threats and urging the US administration to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist group.
The first congressional bill calling for Polisario to be designated a terrorist group was introduced in June of last year by Congressman Joe Wilson, who recalled Polisario’s collusion with Iranian proxy Hezbollah, warning the US of their cooperation, including Iranian arms supply to the separatist group.
The bill now has 13 supporters, who are urging their government to enact and implement regulations deeming Polisario a terrorist group for its actions targeting the stability and security of the wider region.
The second congressional bill was submitted by representatives and senators, including Ted Cruz, who frequently remind the US Administration of the threats posed by Polisario.
The US mission’s concerns over Polisario’s threats came after an official publicly expressed concerns over reports linking Polisario with Iran.
Monica Ager Jacobsen, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT), publicly conveyed the US administration’s concerns during a hearing about US counterterrorism efforts in Africa in April.
“We share concerns about the Polisario Front and its impact in the CT space. What I can say with confidence in an open hearing is that the region where the Polisario Front operates sits near trafficking and militant activity in the Sahel and that this creates vulnerabilities that external actors, including Iran, could seek to exploit,” the US official said.
The statement is the first of its kind from a US official, publicly acknowledging concerns and frustration over Polisario’s acts in the region.
Until recently, US officials have avoided publicly addressing questions about Polisario’s collusion with Iran.
Now, the US has publicly emphasized it is tracking and monitoring the situation.
