U.S. Think Tank: Growing Calls to Designate Polisario as a Terrorist Organization Due to Support from Iran and Algeria and Ties to Extremist Groups
ALDAR/
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a U.S.-based think tank specializing in national security and counterterrorism, has revealed alarming findings regarding the activities of the Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria and armed with Iranian military training. According to a recent report, the group not only seeks to break away from Morocco but is also deeply involved with jihadist groups and hostile regimes—raising serious international concerns about its threat to regional and global security.
The report indicates that Iran uses its proxy, Hezbollah, to train Polisario fighters, with hundreds reportedly detained in Syria while supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad. These connections demonstrate that the Polisario has effectively become a tool for Tehran to expand its influence in North Africa.
Evidence of this cooperation dates back to 2018, when Morocco accused Tehran of supplying the Polisario with advanced weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, via Iran’s embassy in Algiers. This led Rabat to sever diplomatic ties with Iran.
Even more troubling, later reports confirmed that the Polisario received Iranian-made kamikaze drones, which were then used in simulated attacks on Moroccan territory. The report also places primary responsibility on Algeria for providing the group with logistical and political support, including financing, arms, and sheltering its leaders in the Tindouf refugee camps.
Among those linked to the Polisario is Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, a former leader of ISIS in the Sahel who previously held a position within the group. His background further illustrates the penetration of extremist ideology within Polisario ranks and how Tindouf has become a hotspot for jihadist recruitment.
The threat posed by the Polisario extends beyond adults. International NGOs have reported that the group’s leaders exploit children in the Tindouf camps, denying them access to education and forcing them into military training—an egregious violation of international human rights conventions.
In light of these developments, voices within U.S. political circles are increasingly advocating for the designation of the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization, alongside a call for the immediate opening of a U.S. consulate in the city of Dakhla to reinforce American support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. Such a designation would mark a critical step in confronting transnational terrorism backed by Iran and its regional allies.
