Unlike festivities held in 2018, the Polisario Front celebrated the 46th anniversary of its first armed struggle on the quiet.
On April 27, the Polisario deployed tanks to disperse angry Sahrawis, protesting against restrictions imposed by Algeria. This use of force did not stop Sahrawis from resuming their protest movement in Tindouf.
In February 2017, a retired Algerian general played the role of a mediator between Brahim Ghali and Ould El Bouhali. Two years later, another Algerian general is tasked with the same mission.
Authorities in Algeria and Mauritania have been imposing strict regulations on Sahrawi merchants and NGOs wishing to enter the Tindouf camps for humanitarian reasons.
After members of the Gendarmerie voiced their anger in the Polisario, policemen protested against the poor working conditions in the Tindouf camps.