On November 13, 2020, the Polisario Front announced the onset of a «war» against Morocco. Yet, since this bold declaration, the movement has failed to achieve any tangible progress on the ground. As skepticism grows within the Tindouf camps regarding the effectiveness of this aggressive strategy, Mansur Omar, a high-ranking Polisario official, sought to provide reassurance. In statements to a media outlet aligned with the separatist movement in Laâyoune, he claimed that the Front possesses «weapons with a range capable of reaching Laâyoune and Dakhla», and warned that «Morocco will then have neither phosphates nor fish». Meanwhile, the Front's representative in Europe insisted that «purchasing weapons is not an issue», emphasizing that «the arms deliveries do not pass through Algerian territory». This remark appears aimed at distancing Algiers from any direct involvement in arming the Polisario. It's worth noting that Algeria has been hosting the Polisario on its soil since the 1970s, with its military keeping a close watch on the routes leading to the Tindouf camps. Mansur Omar further stated that the Front does not intend to deploy its weapons against Morocco, declaring, «We are waging a slow-burning war». This is not the first instance of this official making headlines with audacious claims. In October 2022, while serving as «Minister of the Interior», he threatened in an interview with a Mauritanian media outlet to use armed drones against the positions of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), stating, «The Sahrawi army will soon use armed drones in the war of attrition in Western Sahara». In February 2025, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared that «the Sahrawis are demanding weapons that we prevent ourselves from giving them».
