On August 12, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) Army's advance units targeted the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (RAF) logistics center in the Mahbes sector of northeastern Western Sahara, according to the Sahara Press Service.
The Sahrawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA) reported that the strikes resulted in significant losses for the Moroccan RAF, though exact casualty figures were not provided. The SPLA also stated that ongoing shelling continues against RAF positions near the security wall dividing the two opposing sides in the region.
The Moroccan Defense Wall, established by the Moroccan government in the 1980s, separates Moroccan-controlled territories from areas held by the Frente Polisario (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguiete el-Hamra and Rio de Oro), which advocates for Western Sahara's independence.
The SPLA also claimed responsibility for recent attacks on the RAF headquarters in Ajbeylat el-Khader and a Moroccan military base in the Aguira-uld Ablal area, both located within Western Sahara.
Ongoing Conflict
The conflict over Western Sahara is a protracted and complex international dispute. The Polisario Front, established in the mid-1970s after the departure of Spanish colonizers, declared the SADR and has been seeking independence for Western Sahara with the support of Algeria.
Fighting continued until 1991, when the UN intervened with a peacekeeping mission. Despite numerous international peace efforts, the dispute remains unresolved due to the opposing stances of the involved parties.
Morocco views Western Sahara as an integral part of its territory and offers only autonomy within the Kingdom. The Frente Polisario has held four rounds of negotiations with Morocco since June 2007, all of which have failed to produce a resolution.
Currently, Morocco controls approximately 80% of Western Sahara.
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Based on materials from TASS