How Do You Spell POLISARIO?

1. Polisario is an acronym for the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro). It refers to a Sahrawi political organization and liberation movement that was founded in 1973. The primary objective of the Polisario is to advocate for the self-determination and independence of the Sahrawi people in Western Sahara.

   The Western Sahara region, located in Northwest Africa, was formerly a Spanish colony. However, after Spain withdrew in 1975, both Morocco and Mauritania claimed sovereignty over the territory. In response, the Polisario became the leading force in the armed struggle against these claims to establish an independent state called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Western Sahara.

   The organization's name, Polisario, reflects its political ideology of promoting socialism and Pan-Arabism while fighting for the rights of the Sahrawi people. Polisario operates as a political party, military force, and government in exile. It has garnered international recognition from several countries and organizations, with its headquarters located in the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria.

   The Polisario Front has engaged in various armed conflicts with Mauritania and, most notably, Morocco for control over Western Sahara. The conflict over the region remains unresolved, and ongoing negotiations and international interventions aim to find a lasting solution that respects the aspirations of the Sahrawi people.

The word "Polisario" is derived from the combination of two words: "Polis" and "Sahara".

"Polis" is derived from the Greek word "πόλις" (polis), which means "city" or "city-state". It is a term commonly used in ancient Greek philosophy and politics to refer to a self-governing city-state.

"Sahara" refers to the Sahara Desert, which is a vast desert located in northern Africa. It is the largest desert in the world and spans across multiple countries, including Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.

The Polisario Front, officially known as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro, is a political and military organization that was established in 1973 to advocate for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco.