Paris, June 12, 2026 (SPS) – The French Association of Friends of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (AARASD) on Thursday denounced what it described as a “double standards policy” pursued by the French government regarding the Western Sahara issue, calling on France to respect international law in a “consistent and equitable” manner.
In a statement released in Paris, the association stressed that French authorities regularly reaffirm their commitment to respecting international law and defending the international legal order, while, according to the organization, adopting a contradictory stance when it comes to Western Sahara, a territory listed by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory.
AARASD particularly expressed regret that France condemned the attack carried out on March 5, 2026, by Sahrawi fighters against the occupied city of Smara, while remaining silent regarding drone strikes conducted by the Moroccan army since the resumption of war in November 2020.
According to the association, these attacks have resulted in the deaths of several dozen people, the majority of whom were civilians. It recalled that the most recent strike claimed the lives of three Sahrawi fighters, including Lahbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, a member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, son of the late Mohamed Abdelaziz, former President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
The association extended its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the Sahrawi people, who have been living in exile for more than 50 years, while condemning violations of international humanitarian law committed in the context of the conflict.
AARASD called on the French government to end what it considers a variable and inconsistent policy and to apply the same principles to all parties concerned.
