London, 17 May 2025 — Adala UK strongly condemns the deadly drone strike carried out by Moroccan occupation forces on 16 May 2025, which targeted a civilian vehicle in Kuerziz, an area east of the Moroccan military wall in Western Sahara. The attack resulted in the deaths of two unarmed Mauritanian civilians and represents a grave violation of international law.

The victims, Mohamed Ould Hmeine Salem and Ennaama Ould Sidi Bouya, were travelling in a Mauritanian-registered vehicle (plate number 08 AB 8550) when they were targeted by a Moroccan drone. The strike completely destroyed the vehicle and killed both men. Their remains were later transported to the city of Zouérat, Mauritania, approximately 200 kilometers from the site of the attack.(click here, video)

A Serious Escalation of Moroccan Aggression

This strike occurred well outside the occupied zone, in a part of Western Sahara considered outside Morocco’s internationally disputed control. The use of drones in such civilian contexts marks a dangerous new phase in Morocco’s ongoing militarisation of the region, and raises urgent questions about accountability, impunity, and the targeting of non-combatants.

The attack is not an isolated incident. Since 13 November 2020, when Morocco violated the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement by launching a military operation in Guerguerat, Adala UK has documented a growing number of drone strikes, shelling, and military harassment by Moroccan forces in Western Sahara. Many of these attacks have targeted Saharawi civilians and foreign nationals with no connection to any armed activity.

A Violation of International Humanitarian Law

Morocco’s use of lethal force against civilians is a clear breach of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit attacks on civilians and require strict adherence to the principles of distinction, proportionality, and military necessity.

This drone strike may also constitute a war crime and an extrajudicial execution, in violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Morocco is a State Party.

Adala UK’s Response and Demands

Adala UK expresses its deep solidarity with the families of the victims and with all civilians—Saharawi and non-Saharawi—who face the threat of drone warfare and arbitrary violence east of the Moroccan military berm.

We call on the international community to take immediate action to:

• Launch an independent investigation into this attack and similar incidents,
• Hold Moroccan authorities accountable for the unlawful use of force,
• Ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international law,
• Support a credible process for the decolonisation of Western Sahara and the realisation of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination.

The Urgent Need for International Oversight

The latest killings expose the urgent need for international oversight and monitoring mechanisms in the region. The continued absence of a UN human rights mandate in Western Sahara, and the silence of key international actors, only emboldens further violence and undermines the rule of law.

Adala UK reiterates its demand for:

• A permanent UN human rights monitoring presence in Western Sahara,
• Renewed efforts by the United Nations, African Union, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to protect civilians and ensure that Morocco’s actions are subject to international scrutiny.

Justice, Accountability, and Decolonisation

This act of aggression must not go unanswered. The international community must not allow drone warfare and targeted assassinations to become normalized in the context of an unresolved colonial occupation. Justice for the victims of this strike, and for all those suffering under Moroccan military rule, requires a principled commitment to international law, human rights, and the Saharawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination.

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Adala UK – Justice and Human Rights for Western Sahara
📍 London, United Kingdom
🌐 www.adalauk.org

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