Morocco faces buffer zone uncertainty after MINURSO withdrawal
The Polisario Front has declared itself no longer bound by a 1997 military agreement governing the buffer zone.
Morocco faces uncertainty over the buffer zone east of its security wall following the withdrawal of MINURSO. This five-kilometer-wide strip, governed by a 1997 military agreement, has been used by the Polisario Front to launch attacks. The agreement bans military forces and equipment from entering the zone and prohibits firing within or over it, rules the Polisario Front has violated.
Sahrawi affairs researcher Rahal Salek stated that the Polisario Front declared itself unbound by Military Agreement No. 1 after November 2020 events at the Guerguerat crossing. He noted the UN Security Council describes the situation as scattered clashes, not full-scale war. Salek finds it difficult to predict future events as the Polisario continues to claim it is at war and rejects UN calls to cease provocations.
Ramadan Massoud Al Arabi of CORCAS emphasized that Russia's veto marked the political end of the Polisario Front. He believes this gives Morocco an opportunity to regain control of areas like Tifariti and Bir Lehlou. Al Arabi added that if Polisario members remain in Algeria, any attacks would originate from Algerian territory, making Algeria directly responsible.
Why it mattersMorocco faces potential security challenges and territorial disputes following the withdrawal of MINURSO and the Polisario Front's disregard for military agreements.