Bir Lehlou (Liberated Territories), 22 December 2023 (SPS) – In a Communiqué issued today, the Government of the Sahrawi Republic (SADR) reaffirmed that the entire Territory of the Sahrawi Republic, including its terrestrial, maritime and air space, remains an open war zone because of the violation and torpedoing by the occupying state of Morocco of the ceasefire on 13 November 2020.
The Sahrawi Government once again called on all countries of the world and public and private sectors to refrain from any activity of any kind in the Sahrawi National Territory and warned those responsible for 10th edition of “the Sahara Desert Challenge”, all participants, and sponsors, and held them accountable for the consequences that might result from their entering and crossing the Sahrawi National Territory.
Text of the Communiqué:
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Communiqué
In collusion with the Moroccan occupying authorities, the organisers of the “Sahara Desert Challenge” intend to include the Occupied Territories of the Sahrawi Republic (SADR) in their 10th edition, scheduled from 27 December 2023 to 10 January 2024.
As stressed in its communiqué dated 18 November 2020, the Government of the Sahrawi Republic reaffirms that, because of the violation and torpedoing by the occupying state of Morocco of the ceasefire since 13 November 2020, the entire Territory of the Sahrawi Republic, including its terrestrial, maritime and air space, remains an open war zone.
Consequently, the Government of the Sahrawi Republic once again calls on all countries of the world and public and private sectors to refrain from any activity of any kind in the Sahrawi National Territory and warns those responsible for the 10th edition of the “Sahara Desert Challenge”, all participants, and sponsors, and hold them accountable for the consequences that may result from their entering and crossing the Sahrawi National Territory.
The Sahrawi Republic reserves the right to use all legitimate means and to respond resolutely to any actions that aim to undermine its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It holds the occupying state of Morocco fully responsible for its destabilising actions that seriously endanger the prospects for relaunching the already stalled UN peace process and threaten peace, security, and stability of the entire region.
Bir Lehlou, 22 December 2023