Morocco Initiates Responsible Operation to Restore Traffic at El Guergarat Crossing

Rabat- Faced with the serious and unacceptable provocations of the “polisario” militias in the buffer zone of El Guergarate in the Moroccan Sahara, Morocco has decided to act, in accordance with its attributions, its duties and in full compliance with international legality.

After having committed itself to the greatest restraint, in the face of provocations from the militias of the "polisario", the Kingdom of Morocco had no other choice but to assume its responsibilities in order to put an end to the deadlock situation generated by these actions and restore free civil and commercial movement.

The "polisario" and its militias, which entered the area since October 21, 2020, carried out acts of banditry there, blocked the movement of people and goods on this road, and continually harassed the military observers of the Minurso, these documented actions constitute real premeditated acts of destabilization, which alter the status of the area, violate military agreements and represent a real threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire.

These acts undermine the chances of any relaunch of the political process sought by the international community. Since 2016, the “polisario” has multiplied these dangerous and intolerable acts in this buffer zone, in violation of military agreements, in contempt for the calls to order launched by the UN Secretary General and in violation of the resolutions of the Security Council, in particular 2414 and 2440, which ordered the "polisario" to put an end to these destabilizing acts.

The Kingdom of Morocco had then immediately alerted and regularly informed the UN Secretary General and senior UN officials about these extremely serious developments. Morocco had also drew the attention of the Security Council members and Minurso as well as several neighboring states to this situation.

The Kingdom of Morocco has given all the time necessary to the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations and MINURSO in order to push the "polisario" to stop its destabilizing actions and leave the buffer zone of El Guergerat.

However, appeals from Minurso and the UN Secretary General, as well as the interventions of several members of the Security Council, have unfortunately been unsuccessful.

Morocco has therefore decided to act, in accordance with its attributions and its duties and in full compliance with international legality.

The "polisario" alone assumes full responsibility and the full consequences of these acts.