A decades-long United Nations peacekeeping effort in Western Sahara has concluded after 35 years, marking the end of a mission overseeing a territory whose sovereignty remains contested between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front. The former Spanish colony has been at the center of a decades-long diplomatic and political standoff, with neither side recognizing the other’s claim. The withdrawal follows years of shifting international support and stalled negotiations, leaving the region’s future uncertain. The move signals a major shift in the status quo but raises questions about what comes next for the territory and its people.
The U.N.'s long-running peacekeeping mission for the disputed Western Sahara ceased operations Sunday after 35 years. Once ruled by Spain, it is claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.
