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The Polisario Movement, which calls for Western Sahara independence, began its summit on Friday, January 13.
The debate comes amid growing tensions between host country Algeria and Morocco, which controls much of the disputed territory.
Brahim Ghali, the current head of the Polisario, is expected to be re-elected to the top position, saying, “The parliament will be successful and move forward thanks to the struggle of the Saharan people and the fight against colonization. ” he said.
More than 2,200 members of the movement and 370 foreign guests took part in the 5 Saharan Refugee Camp, named after Dakhla, an Atlantic port city in the Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara, deep in the Algerian desert. I am attending a daily meeting.
“This is the first meeting after more than 30 years of peace in the context of war and the return of armed states,” said Malainin Rakar, a Saharawi diplomat.
“So this is already the biggest change in the situation in Western Sahara, and it is quite normal for members of the Saharan parliament, who are participating in the 16th parliament, to try to make decisions related to this kind of situation. That’s it.”
The conflict dates back to 1975, when colonial Spain withdrew from Western Sahara and a 15-year war broke out between the Polisario and Morocco over control of the territory.
It ended with a 1991 ceasefire agreement with the North African kingdom, which controls 80% of the resource-rich desert region, and the Polisario clung to hopes of a UN-supervised referendum on independence stipulated in the agreement. .
A referendum has never been held.
In November 2020, the ceasefire collapsed after Morocco sent troops to the southernmost tip of Western Sahara to disperse Saharan protesters who were blocking the only highway to Mauritania and the rest of Africa. Did. .
Since then, a series of deadly incidents have raised fears of a return to full-blown conflict.
Since late 2020, the Polisario has said it is in a “legitimate defensive war,” declaring the entire Western Sahara a “war zone.”
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