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A senior Polisario military official’s escape from Tifariti fuels speculations

The disappearance of a high ranking Polisario military official, operating in Tifariti and responsible for the gathering of international aids, has fueled speculations.

Bir Guendouz./Ph. DR
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Mystery surrounding the escape of a senior Polisario military official, operating in the Tifariti region, has not been solved yet. Preparing to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the Polisario Front, the Algerian intelligence services installed in the Tindouf camps reported the disappearance of Mohamed Hassana Abdelouaheb.

Initially, the Sahrawi official was declared missing in Morocco, where his family was able to visit him before through an exchange program, supervised by the United Nations.

According to local media, the man is believed to have entered Morocco through the Bir Gandouz crossing using his off-road vehicle, and carrying his weapons.

The Mauritanian version of the story

Yesterday, Mauritanian online newspaper Anbaa.info referred to a different account, explaining the sudden disappearance. The same source says that Mohamed Hassana Abdelouaheb is still in Mauritania. Anbaa argues that the military official is hiding in the country, for fear of being arrested by the forces of President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz and then handed over to the Polisario.

Moreover, the Front accuses Mohamed Hassana Abdelouaheb of «embezzlement» and of «threatening the movement's ideological foundations». Before fleeing, he was in charge of collecting international humanitarian aid for the people of the Tindouf camps.

Almost ten days after Mohamed Hassana Abdelouaheb went missing, the Polisario and Mauritania multiplied efforts to find him. Speaking to Mauritanian media, Abdelouaheb’s boss stated that the Front is intensifying the searches.

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