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Territory of Western Sahara

IMPACT

Since the resumption of operation on 22 May 2023 up to 31 December 2024: 
  • 21,442 kilometres of roads and 4,240,353 million square metres of land in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm, were assessed as safe from explosive ordnance, ensuring the safe passage of United Nations personnel, materials, and equipment.
  • 42 of 65 known minefields and 502 of 539 known cluster strike areas were released by the end of December 2024. 
  • UNMAS conducted 62 technical investigations east and west of the berm, assisting the United Nations Military Observers in their duties of monitoring and reporting on ceasefire violations.
  • 28 landmines and 527 items of Explosive Ordnance (EO) were rendered safe, east of the berm, enhancing the safety of MINURSO personnel, local population, and nomadic herdsmen.
  • 293 MINURSO personnel received explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) briefings, and 144 military observers received training on mine action duties.

ABOUT

 

The presence of landmines and explosive ordnance (EO), including cluster munitions, in the Territory of Western Sahara stems from the conflict between 1975 and 1991. A 2,700-kilometer-long sand berm was constructed from southern Morocco to the Atlantic Ocean at Guerguerat, near the Mauritanian border. This berm, which stretches 1,465 kilometers across Western Sahara, serves as a division between the western and eastern parts of the Territory. It is suspected that significant contamination of landmines exists along this 1,465-kilometer portion of the berm and its immediate surrounding areas.


Following the 1991 ceasefire, the United Nations Security Council established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which included the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) as a component.  The mandate of MINURSO, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2654, is renewed for one year The resolution acknowledged MINURSO's progress in resupplying its team sites to sustain operations and emphasized the importance of fully respecting the military agreements related to demining. The Council called on the involved parties to comply with these agreements and to refrain from actions that could undermine UN-facilitated negotiations or further destabilize the security situation.


Since November 2020, following the breakdown of the ceasefire, UNMAS demining operations have been partially suspended, except for a small emergency response team stationed east of the berm, tasked with supporting MINURSO as needed. After several months of extensive negotiations between MINURSO and both parties, and with the support of UNMAS Headquarters, an agreement was reached. Following the consent from the Royal Moroccan Army (RMA) and the Frente Polisario (FPOL), the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) resumed its clearance operations east of the berm on 22 May 2023 for the first time since 2020. In January 2024, operations have restarted in the southern part of the Territory as well.

 
 

ACTIVITIES

UNMAS-MINURSO land release activities in the Territory, east of the berm, reduce threats posed by landmines and explosive ordnance to improve security and accessibility within the Territory and ensure the safe passage of United Nations personnel, materials, and equipment implementing the MINURSO mandate.

UNMAS-MINURSO provides an invaluable contribution by enabling MINURSO investigations into alleged unmanned aerial and other ground-to-ground attacks east of the berm. The team also provides technical expertise, thus contributing to the substance of the investigations.

UNMAS-MINURSO maintains an emergency response capacity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to respond to any landmine and/or EO-related incidents and accidents east of the berm. 

UNMAS-MINURSO delivers explosive ordnance risk education for all MINURSO personnel, enhancing their knowledge of the dangers posed by explosive hazards. 

UNMAS-MINURSO continues to enhance the capacity of UN Military observers by providing training on mine action duties - including reporting on found explosive ordnance, monitoring destruction, and investigating explosive ordnance incidents.

UNMAS-MINURSO maintains close coordination with Mine Action stakeholders and provides technical advice when needed.

FUNDING 

 

UNMAS-MINURSO activities are funded from the MINURSO-assessed budget. This allows for the deployment of two multi-task teams. Given the current context of the ongoing hostilities, both multi-task team are deployed. 


Unearmarked funds from the Voluntary Trust Fund for Mine Action (VTF), administered by UNMAS HQ, complement MINURSO mine action resources. Such funds have allowed UNMAS-MINURSO to support the capacity enhancement of the local body for mine action east of the berm.

 

Data as of November 2025