UN withdrawal leaves Western Sahara dispute without a international peacekeeping presence.

The closure followed a deadlock at the UN Security Council, where Russia vetoed a US-backed resolution recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. A separate Russian proposal to extend the mission also failed to attract enough support.

MINURSO, established in 1991, had monitored the ceasefire between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front. Its original mandate included organizing a referendum on self-determination, but the vote was never held.

Morocco welcomed the UN’s decision, describing it as recognition of its position on the disputed territory. The Polisario Front and Algeria, its main regional backer, condemned the withdrawal and warned that it could worsen instability.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the end of the mission could lead to renewed hostilities. Fighting between Morocco and Polisario resumed in 2020 after decades of relative calm, and tensions have remained high since then.

Although the peacekeeping operation has ended, the United Nations says it will maintain diplomatic efforts through its envoy, Staffan de Mistura. The withdrawal, however, removes a rare international presence from a conflict that continues to divide Morocco and Algeria.