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HR situation in Western Sahara, a humanitarian catastrophe

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Madrid, Feb 16, 2021 (SPS) - The charge d'affaires of the occupied Sahrawi territories, Abdallah Souilem, indicated on Monday that the "Moroccan occupying forces have intensified their repressive actions against Sahrawi civilians in order to intimidate them ", adding that the" degraded human rights situation in the occupied Sahrawi cities portends a humanitarian catastrophe if the international community does not intervene to dissuade the Moroccan regime ".
In an interview with the APS, Mr. Souilem underlined that "the siege and the repression remain the methods adopted by the Mekhzen to intimidate the Saharawis in the occupied cities", specifying that the occupying authorities "imposed a blockade around the homes of activists ".
In this regard, he recalled the violence and injuries inflicted on February 13, to the Sahrawi activist Sultana Khaya and her family whose home is under siege by the Moroccan occupation forces by closing all access leading to it, in view of preventing a group of Sahrawi women from visiting the activist's family The Sahrawi official also mentioned the forced exodus of the Ambarka activist Alina Aba Ali for her position on the Sahrawi cause.
He also addressed the case of the young Sahrawi Mohamed Salem Ayad Lefkir, known as Fahim, assassinated and placed in a morgue stopped at the occupied Laâyoune hospital to hide any trace of violence.
Referring to the violation by Morocco of human rights, Mr. Souilem highlighted the deplorable situation and the catastrophic treatment of Sahrawi detainees like Mohamed Lamine Abidine Hadi, who continues his hunger strike at the level of the local Tiflet 2 prison (Morocco).
Also, he recalls, a special team under Moroccan forces kidnapped, on February 11, the two Sahrawi militants, Ghali Bouhla and Mohamed Nafeh Boutasoufra in the occupied city of Laâyoune.
"The deteriorated human rights situation in Western Sahara portends a human catastrophe if the international community does not intervene to dissuade the Moroccan regime", adds the same Saharawi official who urged human rights organizations to protect Saharawi civilians in accordance with international conventions in the time of war. SPS
125/090/TRA