Chinese workers abducted by Polisario members near Tindouf, then abandoned in desert

The security situation in the Tindouf camps has reached a critical level. On October 6, members of the Polisario Front reportedly abducted several Chinese workers involved in building the railway line for the Gara Djebilet iron mine.

«The Front’s members abandoned the Chinese workers, tied up, in a remote area after stealing their off-road vehicle. They then fled toward the Es-Smara camp», a well-informed source told Yabiladi.

The disappearance of the workers quickly raised alarms, prompting their supervisors to notify local authorities. «The Algerian authorities immediately contacted the Polisario leadership to apprehend the kidnappers and recover the stolen vehicle», the same source said.

According to the source, the Polisario then attempted to cover up the incident by launching a communication operation. A statement from the so-called «prosecutor of the republic» ordered «all security and military forces to inspect all garages, public and private, in the wilaya of Es-Smara» to locate the Chinese vehicle.

On Wednesday, a Polisario-linked media outlet reported the arrest of the «main suspect in the vehicle theft», without mentioning the abduction of the Chinese workers. The outlet added that «authorities are searching for other accomplices».