Roots of Conflict: How the Sahara Became a Contested Land
As Spain’s dictator General Franco neared death in the mid-1970s, pressure mounted from Sahrawi independence fighters known as Polisario. Spain began its retreat from the Sahara, but Morocco’s King Hassan II saw an opportunity. Claiming historical sovereignty over the territory, he took the case to the International Court of Justice. While the court acknowledged some historical tribal ties to Morocco’s sultanate, it ruled decisively: the Sahrawi people deserved self-determination.
What happened next would shape decades of conflict. Ignoring the court’s ruling, King Hassan II launched the dramatic “Green March” in November 1975 – a human tide of 350,000 Moroccans crossing the border. Behind the scenes, a secret Madrid agreement divided the territory between Morocco and Mauritania before Spanish troops had even finished withdrawing.
Birth of a Nation and Desert Warfare
When Spanish forces departed in February 1976, Sahrawi resistance fighters made their move. The Polisario Front proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), sparking a desert insurgency that would last fifteen years. Backed by Algeria and Libya – regional rivals to Morocco – Polisario guerillas waged a relentless campaign against both Moroccan and Mauritanian forces.
Thousands fled the violence, finding refuge in makeshift camps across the Algerian border. These bleak settlements – home to 200,000 refugees today – became symbols of Sahrawi resilience. By 1978, Polisario’s hit-and-run tactics crippled Mauritania’s economy, forcing its withdrawal from the conflict.
Morocco doubled down, constructing an extraordinary defensive network – six massive desert berms stretching over 2,700 km. By 1987, these sand walls secured two-thirds of the territory for Morocco, including vital phosphate mines and coastline. Polisario turned to diplomatic channels, winning a major victory when the African Union recognized SADR in 1985. Morocco responded with an angry exit from the organization.
Frozen Conflict: The Elusive Promise of Peace
A 1988 UN-brokered ceasefire brought cautious hope. The plan? A referendum letting Sahrawis choose between independence or Moroccan rule. But three decades later, the vote remains unrealized – trapped in disputes over voter eligibility as Morocco settles the territory with supporters.
Rabat’s investments tell their own story: modern infrastructure, tax incentives for settlers, and sprawling coastal developments. King Mohammed VI’s 2007 autonomy proposal – rejected by Polisario – offered local governance under Moroccan sovereignty. Meanwhile, tensions periodically erupt, like the violent 2010 Gdim Izik protests near Laayoune.
International attention remains sporadic. As a key Western ally in North Africa, Morocco faces little pressure to compromise. For Sahrawi refugees watching from Algerian camps, independence dreams fade with each passing year.
Dakhla: Where Desert Winds Meet Troubled Waters
Perched on a slender peninsula 544km south of Laayoune, Dakhla surprises visitors with its laidback charm. Once Spain’s Villa Cisneros outpost – where only colonial workers were permitted – this former Mauritanian and Moroccan military post now attracts adventure seekers. Winter brings European camper vans to its vast, empty beaches, while windsurfers ride the reliable Atlantic gusts.
But beneath Dakhla’s sun-bleached tranquility simmers unresolved tension. In 2011, violence erupted during cultural festivals and football matches, exposing raw divisions between Moroccan settlers and Sahrawi residents. The Oum Tounsi neighborhood became a flashpoint, its SADR flag displays met with swift police raids. While tourists enjoy kitesurfing lessons and fresh seafood, locals navigate an uneasy coexistence.
Laayoune: Sahara’s Controversial Capital
Laayoune defies expectations. Built from nothing in 1940, this administrative hub now pulses with 200,000 residents lured by government subsidies and tax breaks. Spanish colonial architecture climbs the Seguiat el Hamra valley’s slopes, while modern Moroccan developments sprawl across the plateau above.
What you won’t find here: the weight of medieval history that defines Marrakech or Fez. Instead, Laayoune buzzes with frontier energy – a place where military personnel mingle with entrepreneurial settlers. Yet concrete barriers and checkpoints hint at ongoing tensions. Periodic protests remind visitors that beneath the modern infrastructure lies one of Africa’s most intractable territorial disputes.
