The article entitled “The Strategic Case for Designating the Polisario Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organization published by the HudsonInstitute, presents a compelling argument for the United States to classify the Polisario Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
According to the Hudson Institute, the Polisario Front is not a liberation movement: it is a destabilizing militia backed by Iran, with links to Hezbollah, the PKK, and insurgents in the Sahel. It violates ceasefire agreements, diverts humanitarian aid, and traffics weapons. It is time for the US to designate it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The Western Sahara conflict—once a Cold War–era standoff between Morocco and a separatist insurgency—has reemerged as a volatile front in today’s great power rivalry.
No longer frozen, it now poses a direct challenge to American security interests. At its center is the Polisario Front, a paramilitary organization formed in Algeria in 1973.
Among the Key points from the article:
1. Violation of ceasefire agreements: The Polisario Front has been accused of violating the UN-backed ceasefire agreement of 1991, undermining peace efforts in the region.
2. Diversion of humanitarian aid: Reports indicate that the organization diverts aid intended for refugees to finance its armed infrastructure, depriving vulnerable populations of essential resources.
3. Links to extremist groups: The article highlights the Polisario’s alleged collaborations with terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), raising concerns about its involvement in broader extremist networks.
4. Support from Iran’s IRGC: The Polisario is alleged to receive drones and other support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), facilitated through Algeria, indicating a link to state-sponsored terrorism.
5. Arms trafficking: The group is involved in smuggling arms to jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel, posing a direct threat to US forces and interests in the region.
Among the Strategic implications include Strengthen US alliances: Designating the Polisario as an FTO would strengthen the alliance with Morocco, a key non-NATO ally, and support its regional stability efforts, Countering the influence of adversaries.
This designation would disrupt the influence of Iran, Russia, and China in North Africa, countries perceived as supporting the Polisario for strategic interests and improving regional security which would help curb the spread of terrorism in the Sahel by targeting the logistical and financial networks that sustain it.
Under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, an organization can be designated as an FTO if it is foreign, engages in terrorist activities, and threatens US citizens or national security.
The article argues that the Polisario Front meets all of these criteria.
Conclusion:The article asserts that designating the Polisario Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organization is a necessary step to protect US interests, support its allies, and promote stability in a region increasingly affected by hostile powers.