US report highlights Polisario's terror links as global support for Morocco grows

Amid increasing global recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Sahara, new reports have surfaced exposing the Polisario Front’s connections to terrorism and its destabilizing role in the region. Prominent international publications, including The National Interest, have detailed how the separatist group’s alliances with extremist groups and adversarial states like Iran threaten regional and global security.

Growing support for Morocco’s territorial integrity

A recent analysis by The National Interest, authored by Ahmed Sahrawi, underscores the expanding international support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a credible solution to the Sahara conflict. The report highlights how major powers, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have endorsed Morocco’s sovereignty over the region. The UK’s decision on June 1 to back Morocco’s proposal marks a significant addition to the more than 113 countries supporting Rabat’s position.

The analysis also praised Morocco’s security approach, describing it as instrumental in preventing the region from becoming a hub for extremist networks. The Polisario Front, in contrast, was criticized for fostering instability and aligning with terrorist organizations across the Sahel.

Evidence of terror links and regional destabilization

The National Interest report detailed the Polisario’s well-documented ties to terrorism, referencing figures like Adnan Abu al-Walid al-Sahrawi, a former Polisario member who became a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel. The publication also highlighted Polisario’s breach of the UN-brokered ceasefire in 2020 and its continued threats against Moroccan civilians, foreign businesses, and tourists in the region.

On May 1, Polisario member Mustapha Sidi Ali El Bachir issued a public threat, warning that any foreign investor or tourist in Sahara was risking their life. Such statements, the report argued, further expose the group’s violent intentions and undermine its self-portrayal as a liberation movement.

The situation in Tindouf, Algeria, where Polisario forces are based, was described as dire. The camps house approximately 90,000 Sahrawis, many of whom face severe restrictions on movement, with Tindouf functioning as an “open-air prison.” Former Polisario members, such as Mustafa Salma, have claimed that only a fraction of the camp’s residents are actual Sahrawis, with many being Algerians or nationals of neighboring countries.

International calls for action

Other US-based outlets, including The Daily Signal and the Hudson Institute, have echoed concerns about the Polisario’s activities. In May, The Daily Signal reported that US officials, including Congressman Joe Wilson, are pushing to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. The outlet criticized the US administration for overlooking the group’s threats and highlighted the role of Iranian and Hezbollah support in arming and training Polisario fighters.

Meanwhile, a Hudson Institute report authored by Zineb Riboua dismissed Polisario’s claims of being a liberation movement, describing it instead as a paramilitary organization that operates as a “destabilizing militia.” Similarly, Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute called for the UN to stop recognizing Polisario, labeling the group a “Cold War vestige” that lacks legitimacy as a representative of the Sahrawi people.

These reports collectively emphasize the need for stronger international measures to combat Polisario’s growing threat and to support Morocco’s efforts to maintain stability in the region.