Center for the National Interest, a Washington, D.C. based, think tank specializing in foreign policy and national security issues, has just published a bombshell investigation exposing the dark realities of the Polisario Front. The explosive report reveals the group’s proven ties to international terrorism, presenting damning evidence of its connections with global jihadist networks.
According to Center for the National Interest, Morocco stands as the primary bulwark against the transformation of Western Sahara (as designated by the UN) into a jihadist state—a fact increasingly recognized on the international stage. The United States, France, Israel, and recently the United Kingdom have affirmed their support for Moroccan sovereignty. Even Syria, after years of ambiguous backing, has severed ties with the Polisario by expelling its representatives.
Polisario’s Dangerous Alliances
The Polisario, a terrorist movement primarily supported by Algeria and Iran, no longer hides its links with extremist groups. Revelations from the German newspaper Die Welt recently exposed communications between Polisario officials and Hezbollah members, confirming close ties to Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance.” These findings sound the alarm on the dangers the Polisario poses not only to regional stability but also to global security.
In intercepted exchanges, Mustafa Muhammad Lemine Al-Kitab, a Polisario official in Syria, expressed support for Hamas’ attacks on Israel and discussed the possibility of a regional alliance involving Algeria, Iran, and other jihadist factions. He even sought Hezbollah’s assistance in attacking Israel’s embassy in Morocco.
These connections are not merely rhetorical. Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has accused Iran of arming the Polisario, including supplying drones. In 2022, a Polisario official confirmed receiving kamikaze drones from Tehran.
From Separatism to Terrorism
Initially portrayed as a separatist movement, the Polisario has gradually shifted toward a more radical ideology. While its Marxist roots—shaped by Cuban and Gaddafi-era Libyan influence—defined its early years, that era is long gone.
Today, the Tindouf camps in Algeria, have become hotbeds for jihadist recruitment. Multiple terrorist groups operate freely there, as confirmed by German intelligence reports.
Among the notorious figures emerging from these camps is Adnan Abu al-Walid al-Sahraoui, a former Polisario fighter who became the leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) before being killed by French forces in Mali in 2021. Other extremist cells, such as Fath al-Andalus (2008) and Khilafah (2009), have also emerged in the region, with some pledging allegiance to ISIS.
The Polisario further shattered a 29-year ceasefire in 2020 and has since escalated attacks against Moroccan civilians. Even more alarming, NGOs have documented its forced recruitment of child soldiers, depriving them of education and training them for combat.
Why Morocco Remains a Key Ally
International actors are increasingly abandoning calls for a return to the 1990s stance favoring a UN-supervised referendum, as this approach is now outdated. The Polisario is no longer merely an independence movement—it has become a proxy for Algeria and Iran, allied with terrorist networks.
Weakening Morocco’s position would undermine a critical partner in the fight against extremism at a time when regional stability is more crucial than ever. Allowing the Polisario to control Western Sahara would effectively create a puppet state under Algerian-Iranian influence, inevitably turning it into a terrorist haven at the gates of Europe and Africa.
The realistic and lasting solution lies in international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty. Any alternative would only worsen security risks for the entire region. Given these shocking revelations, the international community can no longer turn a blind eye: It is time to designate the Polisario as a terrorist organization.
Abderrazzak Boussaid / Le7tv