Shaheed El Hafed (Refugee Camps), 17 August 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO) confirmed that the statements and figures presented by the Moroccan occupation regarding landmine destruction in the occupied Western Sahara are closer to political propaganda than reality. It called on the United Nations and independent international organizations to conduct field verification of any alleged demining operations in the occupied territory.
In a report titled "From Propaganda to Deception: The Truth Behind Morocco’s Claims on Landmines in Western Sahara," SMACO stated that "given the enormous amount of misinformation and deception surrounding the landmine destruction process, it is essential to enlighten Sahrawi and international public opinion with the facts and expose the contradictions in Morocco’s narrative regarding its claimed mine clearance operations."
The report explained that a critical analysis reveals these claims "lack documentation and independent verification, and they do not withstand the simplest rules of arithmetic and technical logic in mine action." It noted that neither the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) nor any other independent body has been able to verify the figures provided by Morocco, which has not invited any external party to monitor these operations on the ground.
Upon a simple review of the figures presented by the occupation, the source added, "the contradiction becomes clear. Morocco claims to have destroyed around 97,000 landmines by 2019, yet between 2019 and 2023, it announced the destruction of only 135 additional mines. Any specialist in the field knows that such a 'quantum leap' over decades, followed by a near halt in recent years, is inconsistent with the practical reality of clearance operations."
The Sahrawi office also addressed the few fake images Morocco has displayed in international forums, such as those included in the booklet distributed in Oslo in 2019—none of which actually depict Moroccan operations. One was taken from a Sahrawi website, while another shows Zionist soldiers in military training. SMACO emphasized that "the occupation’s use of stolen visual materials to promote alleged operations reveals a lack of transparency and an intent to manipulate the media."
The report noted that Morocco is one of only three African countries that have neither signed nor ratified the Ottawa Treaty (1997) banning anti-personnel mines, nor has it joined the Oslo Convention (2008) prohibiting cluster munitions. Additionally, Morocco refuses to provide maps and records of its minefields, depriving affected communities and international bodies of vital information needed to save lives.
The same source highlighted that Morocco "blocks any humanitarian demining projects in the occupied Sahrawi territories while attempting to create the impression that the Moroccan army is the one conducting such operations." In contrast, the Polisario Front has taken three unprecedented steps: it was the first liberation movement to ban anti-personnel mines, commit to the provisions of relevant international treaties, and cooperate with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. It also publicly destroyed its stockpile of anti-personnel mines (20,493 mines) through the efforts and capabilities of the Sahrawi People’s Liberation Army, under international observation.
The Polisario has also reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate with the UN and specialized organizations to continue progress toward a mine-free territory. SMACO concluded that Morocco’s figures on mine destruction lack three essential elements: "visual evidence, independent verification, and arithmetic consistency." It demanded that the occupation be compelled to disclose all maps and records of its minefields, provide protection and support to affected civilians, and guarantee their right to compensation and care.
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