Guerilla War in Western Sahara: Polisario vs. Morocco and Mauritania

Authors

  • János Besenyő The Geoinformation Service of the Hungarian Armed Forces

Abstract

This study talks about the guerrilla war fought between the Polisario Front – representing the Western Saharan natives – and the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as Mauritania. Even today, this guerrilla war provides many lessons regarding desert COIN (counterinsurgency) operations. Besides reviewing the necessary activities for conducting a successful guerrilla war, the author delineates the most efficient methods for defending against one, since this is the first operation, where the Moroccan government – standing up against the guerrillas in an unusual manner – has achieved long-standing results by the construction of a system of fortifications, as well as by the restructuring of its tactics and the units stationed in the Western Saharan region.

Author Biography

János Besenyő, The Geoinformation Service of the Hungarian Armed Forces

lieutenant-general,
PhD in military science,
head of department at the Geoinformation Service of the Hungarian Armed Forces

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Published

2016-12-22

How to Cite

Besenyő, J. (2016). Guerilla War in Western Sahara: Polisario vs. Morocco and Mauritania. Hungarian Journal of African Studies Afrika Tanulmányok, 10(4), 33–50. Retrieved from https://journals-test.lib.pte.hu/index.php/afrikatanulmanyok/article/view/4049