The Polisario Keeps Silence on Africa Eco Race 2019 to Avoid New Setback

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The 11th edition of Africa Eco Race, which kicked off Sunday in Monaco, maintained as in 2018 the stages of southern provinces of Morocco, challenging the Polisario front which remains silent, fearing a new condemnation by the UN Security Council.
During the previous edition of this rally, the Polisario armed militia had already tried in vain, to prevent competitors from crossing the Moroccan Sahara to reach Mauritania through the Guerguerate border post and continue their race onto the Lake Rose of Dakar, capital of Senegal.
Africa Eco Race 2019 began Sunday from Quai Antoine 1er in Monaco with the participation of 166 competitors who engaged in an exciting experience, including 15 days of extreme adventure full of surprises and twists, following the footsteps of Thierry Sabine, say the organizers in a statement.
During 12 days of this 6,022 km-long race, which includes 4,014 km special stages, competitors will have to tackle challenging sandy tracks and dunes, add the statement.
After the crossing on Monday of the Mediterranean, Africa Eco Race participants reached Moroccan city of Nador wherein they started Tuesday, the first stage of the Rally.
They will then cross several Saharan regions eastern Morocco before a stopover (Jan. 3) in the city of Assa Zag. The competitors will then cross the locality of Fort Chacal in Ad-Dchira (south of Laayoune), the city of Dakhla before passing through Guerguerate on their way to Chami in northern Mauritania.
And it is precisely these last steps that risk as usual ignite the Polisario anger. For the moment, the separatists, backed by Algeria, keep silent to avoid a new backlash and setback as the one they suffered last year when their armed militia tried in vain to prevent the crossing of competitors of Moroccan border post at Guerguerate.
Morocco had then complained to the UN. A complaint which led to the strong condemnation of the Polisario by the Security Council and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.