Free Zone (region) - Status and Military Agreement

Status and Military Agreement

The status of Western Sahara is hotly disputed between Polisario and Morocco, and this includes the titles used to refer to areas under the control of the different sides.

Morocco routinely refers to the Polisario-held region as a "buffer zone", or "buffer strip", and claims that Polisario forces are not allowed entry, and that both military activities and civilian construction in this area constitute violations of their cease-fire agreement. But this does not correspond to the provisions of the agreement regulating the territory's status, which Morocco signed in 1991, because the "buffer strip" is only a slim portion of the entire territory. This zone serves as a division-of-forces no mans land. Areas outside this zone are open to activity by the side that controls them, provided they adhere to some restrictions on military movements. Similarly, Polisario call the areas a "liberated territory" or the "free zone", but this is not an official designation. The UN calls it simply "east of the Berm", and refers to territories under Moroccan control as "west of the Berm", thus not giving sanction to the claims of either party.

According to the Settlement Plan, the movement of Polisario fighters is restricted similarly to how Moroccan forces face restrictions on their side of the Berm. The MINURSO details details the following restrictions for the different zones:

• One 5 kilometres (3 mi) wide Buffer Strip (BS) to the South and East side of the Berm;

• Two 30 kilometres (19 mi) wide Restricted Areas (RA) along the Berm. The Buffer Strip is included in the Restricted Area on the POLISARIO side and the Berm is included in the Restricted Area on the RMA side;

• Two Areas with Limited Restrictions (ALR), which are the two remaining vast, stretches of land of Western Sahara on both sides respectively.

Each of the five parts has specific restrictions as for the two parties’ military activities:

• Buffer Strip: No entry of RMA and FPOL personnel and equipment, by ground or air. No firing of weapons in or over the area.

• Restricted Areas: No firing of weapons and/or military training exercises, with the exception of physical training activities of unarmed personnel. No tactical reinforcements, no redeployment or movement of troops, headquarters/units, stores, equipment, ammunition, weapons, no entry of military aircraft and no improvements of defence infrastructures. Some exceptions apply and some activities are allowed after prior information to or approval by MINURSO (Note: these are restrictions in brief, for detailed information please read the MA#1 in full).

• Areas with Limited Restrictions: All normal military activities can be carried out, except the reinforcement of existing minefields, the laying of mines, the concentration of forces, the construction of new headquarters, barracks and ammunition storage facilities. MINURSO need to be informed if the parties intend to conduct military exercises, including the firing of weapons of a calibre above 9mm.