Western Sahara

A UN report of October 2023 records reported strikes by Royal Moroccan Army drones east of the berm, the sand wall that divides Western Sahara. It says one strike near Mijek in November 2022 reportedly left six civilians dead, according to Polisario and local media accounts. In October 2026 the UAE's EDGE Group agreed to supply guided glide bombs and guidance kits for the Royal Moroccan Air Force's armed drones.

Spain ruled the territory, about 272,000 sq km on Africa's Atlantic coast, as Spanish Sahara until 1975-76; the UN lists it as non-self-governing. Morocco administers the larger part west of the berm as its southern provinces. The Polisario Front holds the area east of it and backs the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, an African Union member. A Ceasefire broke down in November 2020. The UN mission, MINURSO, still monitors the area, and Sahrawi refugees live in camps near Tindouf, Algeria.

Morocco says its 2007 autonomy proposal is the only viable outcome. The Polisario Front insists on self-determination, including independence, through a referendum; Algeria calls itself an observer. Resolution 2797 of 31 October 2025 called for talks taking Morocco's proposal as the basis, said genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could be a most feasible solution, and kept a reference to self-determination. China, Russia and Pakistan abstained and Algeria did not vote.