Moroccan authorities on Sunday barred two foreign activists supportive of the separatist Polisario Front from entering the city of Laayoune, citing national sovereignty and legal entry requirements for foreigners.
The two women, Ilaf Hassan Qasim, an American national of Iraqi origin, and Bianca Afonso Perachi, a Portuguese citizen, were denied entry upon arrival at Hassan I Airport in Laayoune. They had traveled on a Binter Canarias flight from Las Palmas in Spain’s Canary Islands.
Sources told Hespress AR that the decision was based on “reliable intelligence” indicating the pair intended to engage in activities aligned with the separatist agenda of the Polisario Front during their stay.
Authorities intervened to enforce the ban, stressing that “respect for national sovereignty remains a red line that cannot be crossed under any circumstance.”
According to the same sources, the two women had planned to carry out on-the-ground actions under the guise of tourism without official authorization or prior coordination with Moroccan authorities, a move deemed in violation of the country’s legal framework governing foreign visitors.
The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, seeks sucession from Morocco, as the Kingdom considers the Sahara an integral part of its national territory.
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