The adoption of the Security Council resolution on the Sahara issue comes against a backdrop marked by an extremely serious development: On the night of Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 October 2023, 4 projectiles exploded in civilian neighbourhoods in the town of Smara, in southern Morocco.
These explosions caused 1 death and 3 injuries, 2 of which were serious, as well as material losses.
The relevant public prosecutor’s office (Laayoune) has opened an investigation. Technical and ballistic analyses are underway to determine the exact nature and origin of the explosions.
Morocco is a state governed by the rule of law. The Moroccan government authorities are taking care not to pre-empt the results of the investigation currently underway, and are not commenting on the judicial process. They will make their views known as soon as the initial information is available.
In the meantime, the Moroccan authorities are exercising the utmost restraint and reserve.
However, as a matter of fact, there is a body of credible, concordant and conclusive evidence pointing to the responsibility of the Polisario, which has been conducting armed hostilities against Moroccan territory since it decided unilaterally to repudiate the ceasefire concluded in 1991 under the aegis of the UN.
The first evidence is nothing less than the Polisario’s own formal claim to the attack. In its “war communiqué no. 901” (attached), the Polisario claimed that it had carried out armed attacks against Smara. The Polisario claims to have caused casualties.
Furthermore, the Polisario representative assumed the content of this communiqué publicly, in front of the press, at the very headquarters of the UN, at a time when the Security Council had just adopted its resolution on the Sahara. He described it as part of the “struggle” being waged by this armed militia.
There is no doubt that these attacks targeted civilian neighbourhoods, where families live, and where there are no military or strategic installations. Even Smara civilian airport is more than 2 km from the scene of the attacks.
The Polisario’s claim of responsibility for this attack made headlines in the international press. Dozens of articles reported it. And the Polisario did not dispute them.
These attacks jeopardise regional peace and security, which Morocco regards as a red line.
Morocco remains calm in the face of these provocations, which are a clumsy and dangerous attempt to divert attention and exert pressure on the Security Council as it prepares to adopt its resolution on the Moroccan Sahara.
Morocco will not allow itself to be impressed or trapped by these ill-considered provocations. For all that, the Moroccan authorities will see the investigations through to the end, until those responsible are established and the law is applied in its implacable rigour.
