African Union defense committee to hold military drills in Algeria with Polisario participation

The North African Regional Defense Committee (NARC), an African Union body focused on promoting peace and stability in the region, is set to conduct military exercises in Algeria from May 21 to 27, according to Yabiladi.

Participating nations include Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which will be represented by the Polisario Front. Morocco, which disputes the legitimacy of SADR and claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, is not a member of NARC. The African Union continues to support a referendum to determine the future of the disputed territory.

Mauritania, though a NARC member, has distanced itself from recent activities hosted in Algeria amid its growing ties with Morocco. Its military is not expected to join the upcoming exercises.