Equipe Media – May 19, 2023
El-Aaiun, Occupied Territories –
A protest was organized in Occupied El-Aaiun on Friday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the armed struggle in Western Sahara. Despite the strict siege and the presence of a large number of occupation forces and quasi-military units, a group of Sahrawi women managed to reach the protest site.
The demonstrators raised flags of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and distributed leaflets to honor the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Polisario Front. They also called for the release of Sahrawi political prisoners.
However, the occupation forces intervened violently against the protesters. The city’s governor himself was seen personally assaulting journalist Salha Boutankiza and activist Mahfouda El Faqir, in addition to the sisters Jamila and Soumia El-Moujahid, Salka A’amer , Khadjetou Douih,El Kaouria Essaaidi, El Khalifa Rguibi and Mina Hadi, .
Currently, the Sahrawi people in the occupied cities are living under a strict siege in observance of the anniversary of the establishment of the Polisario Front on May 10th, the anniversary of the armed struggle, and the 18th anniversary of the Second Sahrawi Uprising, known as the “Independence Uprising.”
