The forgotten war for Western Sahara remains a frozen conflict after decades of struggle
Following Spain's 1975 withdrawal, a complex struggle for control over Western Sahara erupted between Morocco, Mauritania, and the Sahrawi Polisario Front. Despite a 1991 ceasefire and decades of UN-led peace efforts, the territory remains divided, with the conflict shifting from open warfare to a tense, unresolved geopolitical stalemate.
The roots of the conflict trace back to the 1975 Madrid Accords, where Spain transferred administrative control of its former colony to Morocco and Mauritania. This move, prompted by the Green March—a massive mobilization of 350,000 Moroccan citizens—was never recognized by the United Nations. The Polisario Front, which had been organizing for independence since 1973, immediately launched a guerrilla campaign against both new administrators. By 1979, a weakened Mauritania signed a peace treaty and withdrew, leaving Morocco to unilaterally annex the southern portion of the territory.
Throughout the 1980s, Morocco solidified its presence by constructing a massive sand wall, known as the Moroccan Wall, to protect economically vital areas like the Bou Craa phosphate mines. This defensive strategy effectively stalemated the conflict, though it imposed heavy economic burdens on Morocco. The war saw unconventional violence, including the 1985 downing of a German research plane and the use of napalm and white phosphorus against refugee camps. Estimates suggest the total death toll of the 1975–1991 war reached between 10,000 and 20,000 people.
The 1991 ceasefire, monitored by the UN mission MINURSO, was intended to lead to a referendum on self-determination. However, the process stalled repeatedly over voter eligibility, and subsequent initiatives like the 2003 Baker Plan failed to gain traction. Today, the territory is split: Morocco occupies the coastal regions, while the Polisario-led Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic governs the inland areas. Tensions flared again in 2020, leading to renewed clashes and the death of Sahrawi military leader Addah Al-Bendir in 2021, proving that the underlying dispute remains dangerously volatile.
Source: Western Sahara War
