Guerilla War in Western Sahara

Polisario vs. Morocco and Mauritania

Abstract

This study talks about the guerrilla war fought between the Polisario Front – representing the Western Saharan natives – and the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as Mauritania. Even today, this guerrilla war provides many lessons regarding desert COIN (counterinsurgency) operations. Besides reviewing the necessary activities for conducting a successful guerrilla war, the author delineates the most efficient methods for defending against one, since this is the first operation, where the Moroccan government – standing up against the guerrillas in an unusual manner – has achieved long-standing results by the construction of a system of fortifications, as well as by the restructuring of its tactics and the units stationed in the Western Saharan region.