Mauritanian Army Seizes 50 Grad Missiles in Possession of Polisario, Aimed at Morocco
As the Polisario Front struggles to retain its foothold amid a decline in regional support and diminishing operational capabilities, significant blows continue to undermine its position. In a noteworthy development highlighting the shifting geopolitical landscape in the region, the Mauritanian army successfully dealt a strong blow to the separatist group at the border with Algeria on Tuesday, confiscating missiles intended for Moroccan territory.
According to unverified reports, a unit of the Mauritanian forces seized a stockpile of missiles belonging to the so-called “Military Region Three” of the Polisario Front, consisting of 50 medium-range Grad missiles carefully hidden in a remote border area. This operation underscores the seriousness of the activities carried out by the front within Mauritanian territory, constituting a clear violation of sovereignty and a desperate attempt to target Morocco from adjacent lands.
Since the seizure of this missile stockpile, the Polisario has tirelessly attempted to recover it by all means, but all attempts have failed after the Mauritanian military leadership firmly rejected the notion of allowing their territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries. This resolute stance reflects a shift in Nouakchott’s approach, which has become increasingly clear in its support for regional stability and its rejection of using its lands as tools for separatist grievances.
These developments occur against a backdrop of changing regional dynamics characterized by decreasing international support for the Polisario and a growing recognition of the realistic solutions proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco. This situation leaves the front facing increasing isolation and ongoing erosion of its legitimacy and capabilities. Missile movements, even if successful, are no longer capable of altering the new reality that surrounds them—a reality that indicates a gradual end to their role in a regional equation that no longer tolerates obsolete separatist ventures.
