Morocco is tightening control over its southern borders with state-of-the-art technology to keep the Sahara and the whole country at bay from threats posed by terrorist groups and organized crime networks, the Moroccan press reported.
The most-southern tip on the shared borders with Mauritania had long been a haven for dealers until Morocco cracked down two years ago by combing the area and setting up rigorous security control.
The move irked the Algerian-backed Polisario, which moved in its militiamen to the area beyond Morocco’s security berm, hindering the free flow of traffic and threatening regional peace and security by its provocations of Morocco’s armed forces.
The Guerguarat border crossing of about 5 kilometers was left to the UN administration since the 1991 ceasefire, honored by Morocco but frequently breached by the Polisario militias, which gained notoriety in terrifying truck drivers and engaging in all sorts of trafficking. Hence the need for Morocco to secure its territory by ensuring steady control of the strip.