Al-Shahid Al-Hafiz, May 6, 2026 (SPS) – The Sahrawi Office for the Coordination of Action Related to Mine Conflicts urgently directed the mobilization of field efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of mines.
In a statement, the office issued an urgent call for mobilization to support field efforts to expand mine risk awareness programs, provide psychological and social support to victims, and enable local organizations to continue their vital role in protecting civilians and saving lives.
Statement text:
Sahrawi Office for the Coordination of Mine Action
Statement on mine contamination in Western Sahara
Western Sahara remains severely contaminated with landmines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war as a result of the armed conflict between the Moroccan army and the Polisario Front from 1975 to 1991, which resulted in more than 4,000 casualties. Since the resumption of hostilities in November 2020, the territory has witnessed a new wave of pollution, including residues from Moroccan drone strikes, resulting in more than 300 civilian casualties since 2020 — including herders, children and women — as well as livestock losses, and exacerbating the suffering of travelers and families residing in high-risk areas. The chances of contamination expanding or recontaminating previously cleared areas are also very high.
These painful humanitarian conditions represent a major setback after more than nineteen years of continuous humanitarian work in the fields of mine clearance, awareness of their dangers, and providing assistance to victims. Previous demining programmes, supported by international partners, which have included the detection, identification and safe removal or destruction of mines and other remnants of war, have resulted in the release of tracts of land. National organizations such as the Sahrawi Association of Mine Victims (ASAVIM) and the Sahrawi Women’s Mine Action Team (SMAWT) are also successfully interacting with local communities to provide assistance to mine victims and demand a mine-free territory. However, renewed fighting has negatively impacted much of this humanitarian progress, bringing the need for support back to alarming levels.
In light of this grave situation, the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO) and Sahrawi organizations working in the field of humanitarian mine action are launching an urgent call for mobilization to support field efforts — to expand mine risk education programs, provide psychosocial support to victims, and enable local organizations to continue their vital role in protecting civilians and saving lives.
The issue of mines and remnants of war in Western Sahara is an underappreciated humanitarian issue related to the basic rights to life, security and dignity. Accordingly, the Office calls on the United Nations, the broader diplomatic community and international organizations to strengthen their support and provide the necessary technical assistance to ensure the sustainability of humanitarian work and contribute to restoring hope for a future free of the devastating effects of mines and remnants of war. (SPA)
