Where is the Polisario Front?
Polisario Front
| Polisario Front Frente Polisario جبهة البوليساريو Jabhat al-Bōlīsāryū | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 10 May 1973 |
| Headquarters | Sahrawi refugee camps, Tindouf Province, Algeria |
| Youth wing | Sahrawi Youth Union |
| Women’s wing | National Union of Sahrawi Women |
Who backs the Polisario Front?
Beginning in 1975, the Polisario Front, backed and supported by Algeria, waged a 16-year-long war for independence against Mauritania and Morocco.
What does the word Polisario mean?
independence movement
[ poh-li-sahr-ee-oh ] SHOW IPA. / poʊ lɪˈsɑr iˌoʊ / PHONETIC RESPELLING. noun. an independence movement opposing Moroccan control of the Western Sahara, a former Spanish territory that Morocco annexed in stages beginning in 1976.
What countries recognize Polisario?
States that have recognized SADR
| State | Date of recognition | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madagascar | 28 February 1976 |
| 2 | Burundi | 1 March 1976 |
| 3 | Algeria | 6 March 1976 |
| 4 | Benin | 11 March 1976 |
Where is the Sahara desert located?
North Africa
The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert and the third largest desert behind Antarctica and the Arctic. Located in North Africa, it covers large sections of the continent – covering 9,200,000 square kilometers which is comparable to the are of China or the US!
What country is the Western Sahara in?
Western Sahara
| Western Sahara الصحراء الغربية (Arabic) Taneẓroft Tutrimt (Berber languages) Sáhara Occidental (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 25°N 13°W | |
| Countries | Morocco (as its “Southern Provinces”) Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (in the “Free Zone”) |
| Largest city | Laayoune |
| Area |
Who supports Polisario?
The Polisario Front, mainly backed by Algeria, is described by itself and its supporters as a national liberation movement that opposes Moroccan control of Western Sahara, whilst it is considered by Morocco and supporters of Morocco’s claims over the Western Sahara to be a separatist organization.
Who controls Western Sahara?
About 20% of the territory is controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, while the remaining 80% of the territory is occupied and administered by neighboring Morocco. Its surface area amounts to 266,000 square kilometres (103,000 sq mi).
How many people live in Polisario?
The number was highly politically significant due to the expected organization of a referendum on self-determination. The Polisario has its home base in the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, and declares the number of Sahrawi population in the camps to be approximately 155,000.
Why was it called the green March?
They brandished Moroccan flags and Qur’an; banners calling for the “return of the Moroccan Sahara,” photographs of the King and the Qur’an; the color green for the march’s name was intended as a symbol of Islam. As the marchers reached the border, the Spanish Armed Forces were ordered not to fire to avoid bloodshed.
Does the UK Recognise Western Sahara?
The British Government regards the status of Western Sahara as undetermined. We support the UN-led efforts to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. There is no British diplomatic presence in Western Sahara.
How many countries Recognise Sadr?
The independence of the SADR has been recognized at various points by some 80 countries, although, beginning in the mid-1990s, a number of them withdrew or suspended their recognition. The region was a Spanish colony from about 1884 to 1976.
What was the main goal of the Polisario Front?
The POLISARIO is first and foremost a nationalist organization, whose main goal is the independence of Western Sahara. It has stated that ideological disputes should be left for a future democratic Western Sahara to deal with. It views itself as a “front” encompassing all political trends in Sahrawi society, and not as a political party.
Where is the Polisario Front in Western Sahara?
Today Polisario controls the part of the Western Sahara on the east of the Moroccan Wall. A ceasefire between the Polisario Front and Morocco, monitored by MINURSO (UN), has been in effect since 6 September 1991, on the promise of a referendum on independence the following year. However, the referendum stalled over disagreements on voter rights.
Who are the members of the Polisario Front?
The Polisario Front was formally constituted on 10 May 1973 at Ain Bentili by several Sahrawi university students, survivors of the 1968 massacres at Zouerate and some Sahrawi men who had served in the Spanish Army.
How many countries recognize the legitimacy of the Polisario Front?
Today 45 countries around the world recognize the legitimacy of the Polisario over Western Sahara. Support for the Polisario Front came mostly from newly independent African states, such as Angola and Namibia.