In a report on the Western Sahara situation, submitted to the Security Council on September 30, UN Secretary-General António Guterres disclosed that Morocco has completed the construction of a roughly 93-kilometer road linking Es-Smara to Mauritania, traversing the Sand Wall. He noted, however, that the road is not yet officially open to traffic. Three weeks after the report's release, the Polisario Front voiced its opposition to the opening of this second crossing point between Morocco and Mauritania. In a letter to António Guterres, the Front's leader cautioned against «the serious consequences of this new escalation», asserting that it poses a threat to «regional security and stability». «The United Nations must assume its responsibilities and put an end to the destabilizing actions of the occupying power», wrote Brahim Ghali in his letter. The Secretary-General's report also notes that during a meeting in Agadir on February 19, the commander of the southern zone of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) assured the MINURSO force commander that the road «was intended for civilian use and had no connection with FAR military operations». The Polisario challenges these assurances from the Inspector General of the FAR, General Mohammed Berrid, recalling that Morocco made similar claims in 2016 during the construction of the road linking El Guerguerate to Mauritania, before launching a military operation in the area on November 13, 2020. However, in his letter, the Polisario leader did not mention the repeated blockades of this passage by Front elements, actions that had been publicly condemned by António Guterres.
