Morocco and Mali confront fight against separatists

Amid growing ties following Mali’s support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, both countries are confronting their shared struggle against separatists, according to the pro-Moroccan North Africa Post and agencies on April 15th.

Support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, or Resolution 2797, has been widespread, under which the Western Sahara would be granted limited self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty.

The plan is perceived as a credible solution to the territorial dispute that has persisted since the end of Spanish colonial rule in 1975.

On April 10th, Mali joined 130 nations in backing Resolution 2797; it also withdrew support for the so-called Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which Algeria backs through its support for the Polisario Front separatists, who have recognised the SADR since 1976.

Algeria has rejected Resolution 2797 and supports the Polisario Front, which claims to fight for self-determination on behalf of the Sahrawi people, who are indigenous to the Western Sahara.

Sahrawi refugees frequently reside in refugee camps, like the Tindouf camps, where concerns about growing extremism and human rights violations led Morocco to join an EU aid monitoring mechanism in January.

A bill to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organisation has received bipartisan support in the US Congress, a designation also backed by various European parliaments.

Like Morocco, Mali also faces violence from separatists, particularly from Tuareg rebels in the northern Kidal region, which borders Mauritania.

Mauritania has experienced Polisario incursions at the northeastern Algerian border and alleged Tuareg incursions near the borders with Algeria and Mali.

Rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) have repeatedly attacked Malian forces and Russian auxiliaries, including on February 18th and March 4th.

Tuareg separatists have waged war against Mali’s government since their latest uprising began in 2012; tensions have persisted for decades, with Algeria being accused of funding Tuareg rebels.

Algeria-Mali ties have been further strained since April 2025, when Algeria shot down a Malian drone over a border town known as a Tuareg stronghold.

Mali and its Sahel allies, Burkina Faso and Niger, recalled their ambassadors from Algiers following the incident; the Sahel allies also jointly accused Algeria of supporting terrorism.

Niger sought to re-establish ties in February, while Mali appeared more hesitant and denied plans to return its ambassador to Algiers.

It was reported on February 13th that Morocco and Mali had agreed to strengthen military ties, with discussions centring on developing cooperation in military training, equipment and logistical support.

North Africa Post and agencies, Maghrebi.org