The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has declared an end to a three-decades-long ceasefire with the Kingdom of Morocco which could lead to an escalation in north Africa. It comes after Moroccan troops entered the town of Guerguerat, near the border with Mauritania. Rabat says it aimed to clear a road which had been blocked by Polisario fighters. Morocco already deploys some 120-thousand troops to man an almost 3000-kilometre long desert wall aimed at keeping the separation with the Sahrawi people.

In this edition, we explore if the people of Western Sahara will be able to realise self-determination or if the current conflict is just another blip in one of Africa’s forgotten wars.