The United States condemned the recent projectile attack on the city of Smara in southern Morocco, warning that such actions threaten regional stability and undermine efforts to advance a political solution to the Western Sahara dispute.
In a statement delivered Wednesday, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations said it “condemns the attacks by Polisario Front in Smara,” stressing that “such violence threatens regional stability and the progress made towards peace.”
Washington added that the attacks are “inconsistent with the spirit of the recent talks,” while urging all parties to move toward ending what it described as a “50-year-old dispute.”
The U.S. Mission reiterated its support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, stating that, “as affirmed in UNSCR 2797, the Moroccan Autonomy Proposal lays out the path to peace in Western Sahara.”
The statement also called on “all those resisting peace to genuinely commit to a brighter future,” emphasizing that “the status quo cannot continue.”
The U.S. position comes a day after three explosive projectiles landed near the local prison in the city of Smara, prompting a large-scale security deployment by Moroccan authorities.
No casualties were reported in Tuesday’s incident, according to initial information from the scene. Moroccan security forces, including the police, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, sealed off the area and opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Local sources said one of the projectiles exploded near the prison entrance without causing injuries or significant infrastructure damage. Preliminary assessments pointed to suspicion toward the Polisario Front due to similarities with previous attacks targeting the city.
The incident revived memories of an October 2023 attack on Smara, when a projectile struck a residential neighborhood during a wedding celebration, killing one person and injuring several others. Morocco later formally notified the United Nations about that incident.
The latest U.S. statement comes amid growing international support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, which Rabat presents as the basis for a lasting political solution under Moroccan sovereignty.
