
Polisario crisis : Teachers join police in unpaid struggle
The Polisario leadership is grappling with a severe financial crisis, leaving it unable to pay its employees' salaries. Following recent protests by police officers, teachers are now the latest to face unpaid wages. This situation has been confirmed by an official statement from the so-called «Ministry of Education», as reported by a Sahrawi media outlet based in the Tindouf camps, known for its critical stance toward Morocco.
Khatri Addouh, the former head of the Polisario delegation during the Geneva Round Tables and the official currently handling this issue, expressed his «apologies» to the teachers. He cited unspecified «fundamental elements» that have impeded salary payments but did not provide further details. He concluded his message by wishing the teachers and other staff a «joyous Eid al-Fitr».
These financial troubles are exacerbated by political tensions within the Front's leadership. About ten days ago, Addouh was removed from the permanent office of the general secretariat and replaced by Abdelkader Taleb Omar, the Polisario's representative in Algeria.
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Morocco World
14 hours ago
- Morocco World
Analysis: For Algeria, Polisario is an Ally, MAK is a Threat
Doha – Algeria's military regime is waging a calculated geopolitical charade in North Africa, fueling instability abroad while silencing resistance at home. Under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and military chief Saïd Chengriha, the Algerian state has morphed into a launchpad for armed separatist agendas, even as it violently represses peaceful calls for autonomy within its own borders. This glaring contradiction lays bare a regime built not on principles of self-determination, but on selective oppression, weaponized hypocrisy, and a desperate bid to maintain regional influence at any cost. According to an analysis by Sahel Intelligence, 'this paradox is flagrant. Algeria, which qualifies the MAK as a 'terrorist group' without providing concrete evidence of violent acts, simultaneously offers official support to a movement like the Polisario, regularly associated with activities threatening the stability of the region.' The report exposes how Algeria's military leadership has weaponized the concept of self-determination, deploying it selectively to advance regional destabilization while denying the same rights to its own citizens. Algeria's handling of the two movements exposes a glaring double standard—sharp, deliberate, and impossible to miss. The Kabyle independence movement, represented by the Government of Kabylia in exile (GPK) in France, has consistently advocated for peaceful means to achieve self-determination. 'Under Ferhat Mehenni, the Movement for Self-determination of Kabylia (MAK) has always claimed a peaceful, secular and democratic struggle, rejecting any recourse to violence or terrorism,' notes the Sahel Intelligence analysis. 'The MAK denounces a policy of systemic marginalization of Kabylia by the Algerian state, on linguistic, economic, religious and identity levels,' adds the analysis. Meanwhile, Algeria provides comprehensive support to the Polisario Front, which has become 'a hired regional gun that implements Iranian agendas in North Africa.' This goes in line with Algerian objectives in the Western Mediterranean and the Sahel. Algeria's behavior exacerbates tensions and fuels risks of a major regional war that would set back decades of efforts to preserve peace, security, and prosperity in southern Europe and along Africa's Atlantic front. 'Alger furnishes refuge, financing and military as well as diplomatic assistance. Algeria hosts the movement in the Tindouf camps, presents it as a liberation movement, and advocates on its behalf in international forums,' the report states. Polisario's terrorist ties are an open secret The Polisario's terrorist ties are no longer whispers in the dark—they've stepped into the spotlight. Last April, Republican politician John Wilson stressed Washington's 'determination to support the North African kingdom in confronting the threats posed by Polisario Front terrorists' during a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. Multiple intelligence reports have documented the Polisario's connections with terrorist organizations. The Sahel Intelligence analysis points to 'connections with Hamas and Iran, via weapons and training networks, complicity with AQMI (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and other jihadist groups operating in the Sahel, facilitating arms trafficking and kidnappings.' These elements have led several observers and states to characterize 'the instrumentalization of the Tindouf camps by the chief of staff General Saïd Chengriha, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his advisers, for opaque paramilitary activities, far from the standards of international conventions on refugees.' The situation in the Tindouf camps has deteriorated significantly. Recent protests erupted following what the Sahrawi Association for the Defence of Human Rights (ASADEDH) described as a 'horrific massacre' committed by the Algerian army in the Arkoub district of the Dakhla camp. The incident resulted in two deaths and nine injuries, with three victims in critical condition. NGOs strongly condemned the Algerian army's actions, pointing out that Polisario militias not only failed to denounce the attack but actively aided in suppressing protesters demanding justice for the victims. The growing discontent within the Tindouf camps has ignited an unprecedented wave of dissent, with frustrated Sahrawis openly demanding an end to decades of exploitation and false promises. According to local sources, chants once unthinkable in Polisario-controlled zones are now echoing through the camps. As they muster the courage to oppose the separatist group's illusive agenda, this emerging cohort of Sahrawi dissidents is calling not just for relief from their prolonged suffering, but for the immediate acceptance of Morocco's autonomy initiative as the only viable path forward. The total collapse of Polisario's Algeria-sponsored separatism is increasingly within reach The United Kingdom's recent alignment with Morocco on the Western Sahara marks a profound geopolitical shift. Not only does this shift consolidate the position of the world's major powers – including the US, France, and Spain – in favor of Morocco's territorial integrity, but also signals the collapse of the post-colonial ambivalence that long enabled Algerian-sponsored separatism to persist. That even former colonial actors now endorse Morocco's autonomy initiative reflects a recalibration of global realpolitik: sovereignty, territorial integrity, and strategic partnership now outweigh outdated fantasies of Balkanizing North Africa. If regional tensions continue to escalate and mounting intelligence confirms links between Polisario members and activities that undermine regional security, the path toward designating the group as a terrorist organization in the medium term will become significantly clearer—and more politically inevitable. While the Polisario has not completely disappeared, it is weakened politically, diplomatically and militarily. The balance of power clearly favors Morocco, which is advancing its autonomy initiative, regional development plans, and garnering increasing international support. If the current trend continues, particularly if the US administration designates the Polisario as a terrorist organization, Algeria may find itself forced to reconsider its support for the separatist group to avoid incurring the wrath of America and the Western world. Read also: Hilale Slams Algeria's Regime Over Regional Destabilization, Hypocrisy, and Separatism


Ya Biladi
16 hours ago
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Two Sahrawis from Tindouf arrested in Spain on terrorism charges
In Spain, Basque police arrested two young Sahrawis from the Tindouf camps on Wednesday in the province of Álava. They are accused of «collaboration with jihadist organizations» and «glorifying terrorism». On Friday, the two suspects appeared before an investigating judge specializing in terrorism cases at the National Court in Madrid. Following the hearing, the magistrate ordered that one of the suspects remain in custody, while the other was released under judicial supervision. Notably, most Spanish media outlets covering the arrests, particularly those in the Basque region, did not disclose the origins of the individuals detained. «One of the suspects is reportedly a close associate of the new Polisario representative in Algiers, Khatri Addouh. Since Wednesday, Polisario representatives in Spain have been actively pressuring Basque media not to disclose the alleged terrorists' links to the Tindouf camps», a Moroccan source told Yabiladi. It is worth recalling that for several months, American think tanks and political figures have been lobbying the Trump administration to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization.


Morocco World
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- Morocco World
Spain Arrests Two Tindouf-Origin Sahrawis on Terrorism Charges
Rabat – Spanish police in the Basque Country arrested two young Sahrawis originally from the Tindouf camps on Wednesday in the Álava region. The individuals are facing charges of 'collaboration with jihadist organizations' and 'glorification of terrorism,' according to converging reports. Both suspects appeared on Friday before a judge at Spain's National Court in Madrid, which specializes in terrorism-related cases. Following the hearing, the magistrate ordered one of the suspects to remain in custody while releasing the second under judicial supervision with conditions. Notably, most Spanish media outlets reporting on the case—particularly those in the Basque region—did not mention the origins of the suspects. According to a Moroccan source cited by multiple converging reports, one of the arrested individuals is reportedly closely connected to Khatri Addouh, the Polisario Front's new ambassador to Algeria. The same source indicated that Polisario representatives in Spain have been pressuring media outlets not to reveal that the suspects are linked to the Tindouf camps. The arrest comes amid growing concerns over the possible radicalization within the camps. In recent months, various American think tanks and political figures have called for the U.S. government to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, in Spain, a heated debate continues within the ruling coalition over a proposal to grant Spanish nationality to Sahrawis born during the Spanish colonial occupation of Western Sahara. Originally proposed by the far-left party Sumar—seen as a political move against the ruling Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)—, the initiative has sparked division. PSOE has opposed recognizing identity documents issued by the Polisario and has resisted simplifying naturalization procedures for Sahrawis. Despite PSOE's opposition, the proposal was passed in parliament thanks to support from other parties, further fueling tensions within Spain's governing alliance. Tags: Algeria and polisariospain polisarioTindouf