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Moroccan parties call on MINURSO to force Polisario to withdraw from buffer zones

April 10, 2018 at 2:12 am

Moroccan parties on Monday called on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to take firm measures “to force the Polisario Front to withdraw from the buffer zones in the region”.

This came in a joint statement signed by a majority of the Moroccan parties in the presence of Prime Minister, Saadeddin Othmani in the disputed city of Laayoune in Western Sahara.

The meeting is the first time when the Moroccan prime minister meets with a majority of the Moroccan parties to discuss the latest developments in Sahara region in the city of Laayoune.

In their statement, the parties called on the international community to “take firm, resolute and deterrent measures to force the Polisario to withdraw from these areas and to remove all manifestations of attempts to create a new reality on the region”.

READ: Morocco accuses Polisario of incursions into buffer zone

It also urged the United Nations “not to tolerate these provocative actions and to deal with them as dictated by its responsibility of maintaining security and stability”.

The Moroccan parties also rejected what they described as “the Polisario’s recent acts of hostility in order to create a new reality by attempting to transfer some of their civilians and military elements from the Polisario-run Lahmada camps in Tindouf, in south-western Algeria to the buffer zones as encouraged by the latter.

Algeria not immediately available for comment on the allegations.

The Moroccan parties statement affirmed their adherence to the peaceful and sustainable political solution agreed upon under the UN auspices; the sole authority to seek a solution that guarantees maintaining our country rights and peace in our region.

Several days ago, Morocco accused the Polisario of transferring military centers from the Tindouf camps in Algeria to east of the security fence; a buffer zone where UN forces are deployed.

However, the United Nations said its mission in the region “did not notice any movement by Polisario military elements”.

At the time, Morocco responded by saying the mission “does not control all the details on the ground in Western Sahara”.