The United Nations has announced that the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have eliminated a substantial cache of unexploded ordnance (UXO) dispersed throughout the Saharan expanse, defusing thousands of hazardous remnants from earlier hostilities. Data from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) indicates that, under MINURSO’s oversight, more than 13,000 dangerous devices have been safely neutralized since the outset of 2024.
In its most recent briefing, UNMAS disclosed that military observers from the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) supervised 67 controlled detonation exercises executed by Moroccan explosive-clearance units. These operations resulted in the destruction of 13,850 UXO items, 116 landmines, and roughly 2,900 rounds of small-calibre ammunition found scattered across isolated desert territories.
UNMAS highlighted that these clearance efforts were undertaken by highly trained Moroccan demining specialists working closely with MINURSO’s technical personnel—an indication of the continued cooperation between the UN and Moroccan authorities to confront the persistent threats posed by long-abandoned explosive devices.
The UN further underscored that UXO remains a serious hazard to local populations, nomadic groups, aid workers, and military convoys. The Sahara’s unforgiving environment—characterized by mobile sand dunes, extreme heat, and natural erosion—frequently reveals or shifts dormant munitions, necessitating sustained clearance activities.
According to UNMAS, the increased pace of demolition operations since 2024 reflects intensified security commitments aligned with technical frameworks agreed upon by Rabat and MINURSO. These efforts aim to minimize accidents, enhance mobility across remote corridors, and bolster socio-economic progress by securing routes relied upon for commerce, livestock movement, and civilian transit.
The UN describes the ongoing UXO-removal campaign as an “essential foundation for regional stability,” stressing that eliminating explosive threats is indispensable for protecting communities and enabling future infrastructure and humanitarian initiatives throughout the Sahara.
Source: Africa Publicity
