SYRIA SHIFTS AWAY FROM LONG-STANDING ALLEGIANCE TO POLISARIO FRONT

Syria has officially ended its long-standing alliance with the Polisario Front, closing the group's former office in Damascus, according to The Arab Weekly. The move was made under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda-affiliated figure now heading Syria’s new government.

The closure coincided with a visit by Moroccan officials who are preparing to reopen their embassy in Syria, which has been shut for 13 years.

Syria’s reversal aligns it with a growing list of countries supporting Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, has long pushed for the territory's independence.

Under the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, Syria had backed the Polisario and reportedly relied on fighters from Algeria and the Polisario Front during its civil war, which erupted in March 2011.

In 2012, Morocco broke off diplomatic ties with Syria in protest of Assad’s violent crackdown on civilians. The planned reopening of the Moroccan embassy marks a significant reset in bilateral relations.

The development also reflects a broader regional power play, with Morocco gaining increasing international support for its Western Sahara initiative, while Algeria continues to back the separatist movement.