Moroccan city of Smara in the Sahara was rattled by explosions on Saturday night. Social media videos captured the sounds of blasts echoing from an empty area near residential zones.
There were no reported injuries or property damage as the projectiles landed in the deserted “Wadi Kaiz” district.
Local sources believe the explosions originated from shelling by the Polisario Front. Moroccan security services swiftly descended upon the scene, examining the projectiles and launching an investigation to pinpoint their origin.
Drones were reportedly deployed for a thorough scan of the area.
The timing of this attack is noteworthy. It comes just as the Polisario gears up to celebrate the 51st anniversary of their armed struggle on May 20th.
The attack also coincides with the «African Lion 2024» exercise scheduled from May 20th to 31st. This suggests the attack may be strategically timed to disrupt both events.
Smara has been targeted before. On October 28th, four explosions rocked Moroccan-controlled areas, including the city’s industrial district. The blasts tragically claimed one life and injured three others, two critically.
Social media footage depicted the partial collapse of an empty building and scattered metal debris. Moroccan authorities launched an investigation to determine the source and nature of the explosive projectiles.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad had previously said that the country would determine the timing and manner of its response, stressing that Morocco’s goal is not escalation but wise action.
The minister said that Morocco had formally condemned the attacks through diplomatic channels to the United Nations and its Secretary-General.
Moroccans had spontaneously taken to the streets in various cities across the southern regions to express their strong disapproval of the violence.
Echoing this sentiment, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, had stated that attacks targeting innocent people will not go unpunished.
Hilale classified the attack as an act of terrorism according to international law since it did not target any military zone. He added that MINURSO would prepare a report on the incident for presentation to the Security Council.
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