Loss of a Prominent Sahrawi Leader
The Sahrawi armed forces have officially announced the death of Lahbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, a significant figure within the Sahrawi independence movement, during a recent combat operation against Moroccan forces. As the son of Mohamed Abdelaziz, the founder of the Polisario Front and a former president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Lahbib's loss is being mourned deeply within the Sahrawi community. The announcement, made on Sunday, also mentioned that two other fighters lost their lives alongside him; however, the circumstances surrounding their deaths and their identities have not been disclosed.
A Legacy of Leadership and Commitment
Lahbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, born in 1989 in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, was known for his academic pursuits, holding a degree in International Relations. He joined the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army in November 2011, committing himself to the ongoing battle for independence from Moroccan control over Western Sahara. Over the years, he held various positions within the political and military structures of the Sahrawi movement, eventually rising to become a member of the General Staff of the Army and the central director of training.
In 2024, he was appointed as the commander of the first campaign brigade of the Sahrawi armed forces and was elected as a member of the National Secretariat during the 16th Congress of the Polisario Front. A devoted family man, he leaves behind a wife and three children, further amplifying the tragedy of his untimely death.
The region has experienced heightened tension since 2020 when Moroccan troops entered the demilitarized zone of Guerguerat to dismantle a sit-in by Sahrawi activists, which had blocked the only road connecting Morocco to sub-Saharan countries. The Polisario Front deemed this action a violation of the ceasefire agreement established under UN auspices in 1991, leading to military operations against the wall erected by Morocco in Western Sahara to maintain control over approximately 80% of the territory.
In response, Morocco has primarily utilized drone strikes against the Sahrawi forces as they attempted to access the disputed territories. The eastern and southern regions of Western Sahara, constituting about 20% of the territory, are regarded by the Polisario as their 'liberated territories,' while the UN classifies them as a 'buffer zone' that must remain demilitarized, and Morocco claims them as part of its own territory.
As reported by elmundo.es.
