Two members of the Polisario militia were killed and five others were injured when their vehicle exploded on a mine as they were about to cross Morocco’s southern border.
The victims were aboard one of two military vehicles carrying fifteen Sahrawis who have all deserted their military barracks near the Tindouf camps and wanted to reach southeastern Morocco.
The fifteen Sahrawi militiamen decided to desert after they were mistreated by their superiors, who suspected them of plotting to fuel trouble in the ranks of the Polisario, sources close to the Tindouf camps population said.
At nightfall, the fugitives left discreetly the military region where they were stationed and headed towards the security fence separating Western Sahara and Algeria. But their two vehicles were chased by an armed column of the Polisario.
During the chase, which took place is the dead of night, one of the two vehicles strayed from the runway and hit a mine. Two passengers were killed on the spot and five others were seriously injured.
Following this accident, the passengers of the second vehicle, shocked and panicked, had no other option but to surrender to their armed hunters.
The pro-Polisario media gave another version and reported that an accident happened when a patrol was chasing the smugglers crisscrossing the region.
According to the same sources, the Algerian military intelligence services (DRS) instructed the Polisario leadership to cover up the matter which might ignite the anger of the victims ‘tribes.