Western Sahara

Western Sahara

Since 1976 the Polisario Front, the government-in-exile of the Saharaoui fighting for self-determination of the Western Sahara, has been at war with Morocco. The former Spanish colony was annexed by Morocco after the former colonial power left in 1975. It was later sealed off by a heavily guarded wall built by the Moroccans known as the Berm, stretching the length of the border between Occupied Western Sahara and the Polisario controlled liberated territories.

Since a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991, Polisario soldiers, young and old, perform field exercises and scout Moroccan positions in the mine-ridden no man's land. There are an estimated three million landmines and unexploded ordnance littering the former frontline resulting in many casualties and deaths every year among nomadic Berber livestock herders and Saharaoui.

Meanwhile, refugees from the Western Sahara who fled the conflict have been subsisting in dusty camps in neighbouring Algeria, Polisario's main ally, who have closed their border with Morocco.

Polisario estimates there are 170,000 refugees in the camps in South Western Algeria who rely on international aid, distributed by the United Nations. Despite daily hardships the refugee camps are well-organised: women's rights are widely respected, literacy is above 90%, and many children go on to study at universities abroad. A fragile ceasefire exists but tensions are high. Saharaoui who remain in the occupied territories are subject to police discrimination, detention and regularly report incidents of human rights abuses.

Western Sahara map

Polisario military base Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers Western Sahara

Polisario soldier Western Sahara

Western Sahara abandoned military base

Abandoned military camp Western Sahara

Polisario Soldiers Western Sahara

Young soldier Western Sahara Polisario

Western Sahara desert

Western Sahara abandoned tank

Western Sahara explosion

Polisario soldiers training Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers training Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers on parade Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers on parade Western Sahara

Polisario soldier with AK47 Western Sahara

Polisario soldier with AK47 Western Sahara

Western Sahara Polisario army

Western Sahara Polisario flag

Western Sahara

Western Sahara refugee camp with tents

Western Sahara

Refugee camp Western Sahara

Western Sahara family home

Child in Western Sahara

Child in refugee camp Western Sahara

Western Sahara refugees

Landmine victim Western Sahara

Women in Western Sahara refugee camp

Western Sahara women

Western Sahara sand dune

Western Sahara containers

Western Sahara shop

Western Sahara bricks

Western Sahara home

Western Sahara football

Western Sahara bicycle

Western Sahara kids

Western Sahara sunset

Western Sahara map

Polisario military base Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers Western Sahara

Polisario soldier Western Sahara

Western Sahara abandoned military base

Abandoned military camp Western Sahara

Polisario Soldiers Western Sahara

Young soldier Western Sahara Polisario

Western Sahara desert

Western Sahara abandoned tank

Western Sahara explosion

Polisario soldiers training Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers training Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers on parade Western Sahara

Polisario soldiers on parade Western Sahara

Polisario soldier with AK47 Western Sahara

Polisario soldier with AK47 Western Sahara

Western Sahara Polisario army

Western Sahara Polisario flag

Western Sahara

Western Sahara refugee camp with tents

Western Sahara

Refugee camp Western Sahara

Western Sahara family home

Child in Western Sahara

Child in refugee camp Western Sahara

Western Sahara refugees

Landmine victim Western Sahara

Women in Western Sahara refugee camp

Western Sahara women

Western Sahara sand dune

Western Sahara containers

Western Sahara shop

Western Sahara bricks

Western Sahara home

Western Sahara football

Western Sahara bicycle

Western Sahara kids

Western Sahara sunset

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