Moroccan Wall

Berm is derived from the Arabic proper name for the Moroccan sand wall in Western Sahara, which separates the managed and controlled by Morocco part of the territory of the so-called Free Zone, largely by the Polisario rebels and the government of the unrecognized Arab Democratic Saharan Republic (SADR) is controlled.

The attachment line is designed to prevent the infiltration of rebels in the Moroccan southern provinces and is similar in this military-political function of the Morice Line ( Ligne Morice ) of the French war in Algeria. From the Polisario Front of the country dividing wall is colloquially as the " wall of shame " in Morocco called " Hassan's Wall" ( after the former King Hassan II ).

Wall south of Mahbes

The 2500-2700 kilometer Wall extends from the Moroccan- Mauritanian border in the south-west coast to the moroccan ( Saharan ) Algerian- Mauritanian border triangle in the northeast of the disputed territory. Then north to the Wall still continues several hundred kilometers along the Moroccan-Algerian border.

The wall is a wall about three feet high, backed mostly by landmines and barbed wire wall of sand, only here it is in brick or rubble. Partial Bergland serves as a natural barrier, sometimes (especially in the southern areas ) Wall is overshadowed and eroded by large, significantly higher dunes. At a distance of several kilometers (usually 1-3 miles) are both small groups of Moroccan guards in oval to arbitrarily designed camps stationed. About every 10-15 km are larger stock.

In several phases of construction and military- political decision-making levels ever more areas were enclosed by the Wall since 1982, when al - Hawza (Province of Es Semara ) there was a small gap in the meantime. El Aaiun and most towns or villages are situated in the Moroccan zone, where over 90 % of the nearly 400,000 residents of the region live. Nevertheless, Morocco also looks at the outside of the wall lying and sparsely populated desert areas of the "Free Zone" ( 30,000 inhabitants) as its territory and thus the Wall. Than innermarokkanische safety line, that is, as a line of demarcation The DARS also claimed the entire territory of Western Sahara, the future of the area divided by the Wall still depends on an agreement of the parties to the conflict under UN mediation from.