The rising tension between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario is threatening peace and stability in a region already struggling to curb the surge of terrorist groups. Algeria, keen to have an outlet into the Atlantic Ocean, has hosted and armed the Polisario separatists in the early 1970s and pushed them to declare “an independent republic”. Algeria backs the Polisario in diplomatic fora and emboldens its actions with lavish military aid in order to distract attention from Morocco’s recent inroads at the African level. By green-lighting the Polisario to conduct incursions into the buffer zone, Algeria departs from the assumption that Morocco’s response will remain diplomatic. The conflict this time may not be a limited guerrilla war.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 08, 2018 08:26 UTC