Morocco’s Permanent Representative at the UN Omar Hilale vowed that the country will take the necessary measures against anyone involved in the four explosions that hit several residential areas in the city of Es-Semara in southern Morocco on Saturday.
Hilal made his remarks in a press conference following the adoption of Resolution 2703 on Western Sahara on Monday.
When asked by journalists about the situation in Es-Semara, the Moroccan diplomat stressed that investigations are ongoing to uncover all details behind the explosions that killed one citizen and injured three others.
The explosions took place in three different areas, including residential neighborhoods in the city.
Morocco’s public prosecutor announced the launch of an investigation to uncover the circumstances of the case.
Hilale presented documents to the press, showing that the sites where the explosions took place have no military installations.
“There were no military installations, as you can observe. In the first explosion in the industrial district, there were no military sites or anything of the sort. Similarly in Hay Essalam, you can see buildings, streets, and open areas,” he said, while pointing to visual demonstrations.
He said that immediately following the explosions, MINURSO, the peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, was informed.
“They confirmed that the explosions took place in civilian neighborhoods, civilian homes, resulting in one civilian fatality and several injuries among other civilians,”. He added. “They will, of course, compile their report and transmit it to the UN Secretariat, and subsequently, the Security Council will be briefed based on this report.”
He also recalled the opening of an investigation by Moroccan authorities to verify and identify the scientific and ballistic details of the explosions.
“Morocco is a law-abiding country. At this moment, we are in the investigative phase, collecting information,” he said, stressing that the country is not accusing anyone as it is simply waiting for the conclusive results of the ongoing investigations.
Perpetrators will not go unpunished
Hilale emphasized Morocco’s determination to take an appropriate action following the investigation, saying that “we cannot ignore the substantial body of compelling evidence pointing in the same direction, as even acknowledged by the group responsible.”
He pointed to a Polisario statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
“It mentions the explosions and projectiles they launched on the night from Saturday to Sunday. This is the first piece of evidence and it’s an official statement by the Polisario,” the diplomat stressed. “The second piece of evidence is that when radios and TV stations around the world, as well as news agencies began reporting on these explosions, the Polisario, in quoting it, never denied their involvement.”
“Their silence indeed confirms that they are behind these explosions,” he said, recalling that the international law, international humanitarian law, and Security Council resolutions qualify any attack or targeting of civilians as terrorist acts and acts of war.
“This implies consequences and responsibilities,” he said, emphasizing that such attacks will not go “unpunished.”
“Those responsible will have to assume their legal, as well as political responsibilities, not only those who carried out these attacks, but also those who are behind them, those who shelter them, and those who supply them with missiles,” Hilale said, referencing Algeria.
For decades, Algeria has been supporting Polisario and its independence claims over Western Sahara.
The Algerian regime hosts, finances, arms, and supports the Polisario Front, which has for decades threatened to carry out terrorist attacks to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity and stability.
Source: Morocco World News
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