Morocco will never let the Polisario separatists alter the status of the Sahara buffer zone said Morocco’s government chief, Saad Eddine El Otmani in a reaction to the maneuvers by the Algerian-backed separatists to set up posts in the demilitarized area. The buffer zone east of Morocco’s security wall is a demilitarized area under the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement of 1991. “King Mohammed VI has expressed concerns to the UN Secretary General regarding the separatists’ provocations,” El Otmani said at separate meetings with leaders of political parties and trade Unions. In this respect, El Otmani urged Moroccan political parties and civil society stakeholder to be ready to defend Morocco’s national interests. Polisario elements, emboldened by UN laxity, have vowed to move their armed forces headquarters to the locality of Bir Lahlou in the buffer zone.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 03, 2018 00:22 UTC