The United Nations established Minurso in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire in Western Sahara and organize a referendum on Western Sahara's self-determination following fighting that left at least 9,000 people dead

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The UN said its 35-year-old peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara had come to an end after the Security Council did not renew its mandate

Morocco built a 2,700-kilometer security wall in the 1980s, securing control over Western Sahara's urban centers and coastline while Polisario operates east of the 2,700-kilometer wall and in Tindouf, Algeria

A rival Russian draft resolution to extend Minurso's mandate for one year without changing the mandate's original terms failed to pass the UN Security Council, receiving only two votes in favor

On October 30, 2026, Russia vetoed a US-backed UN Security Council proposal that would have extended Minurso for one year while framing Morocco's autonomy plan as the sole basis for negotiations

The Royal Palace of Morocco announced on November 4, 2026 that Morocco will voluntarily maintain the ceasefire in Western Sahara following a meeting led by King Mohammed VI

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and aid group Oxfam warned that the withdrawal of peacekeepers from the UN's Western Sahara mission, Minurso, increases the risk of escalation and renewed hostilities in Western Sahara

The UN announced on November 1, 2026 that Minurso, the UN's Western Sahara peacekeeping mission, entered a liquidation period with a reduced team overseeing the transfer of military equipment and assets out of Western Sahara

Polisario Front representative Sidi Omar thanked Russia for vetoing the US-backed UN Security Council resolution on Western Sahara, stating the proposal threatened the UN peace process

The United Nations Security Council failed to renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso), ending the 35-year peacekeeping mission on October 31, 2026

Minurso, the UN's Western Sahara peacekeeping mission, deployed 155 military personnel and had an expected budget of $62 million for the financial year beginning June 2026

Moroccan King Mohammed VI directed the interior ministry to coordinate and support the liquidation and withdrawal of Minurso peacekeepers from Western Sahara

Polisario Front adviser Oubi Bouchraya Bachir stated Polisario will exercise restraint in the field while continuing to pursue Sahrawi self-determination diplomatically and militarily

Morocco organized the Green March on November 6, 1975, sending 350,000 civilians into Western Sahara to pressure Spain before Spain signed the Madrid Accords ceding administrative control

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11, 2026 for US-brokered peace talks

The European Commission scheduled a meeting on November 4, 2026 with officials from the US, NATO, European allies, and Ukraine ahead of the US-brokered Abu Dhabi talks scheduled for November 10-11

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Russia on November 3, 2026 to engage in serious negotiations regarding a ceasefire and peace agreement

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ruled out dialogue with Washington on November 4, 2026, until the United States abandons its hostile policy

A six-day humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, lasted from October 27 through November 1, 2026, to allow aid delivery and civilian evacuations

Melania Trump stated that nearly 800 people, including around 50 children and 100 pets, were evacuated during a six-day humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky

The White House stated that Melania Trump independently initiated engagement between Russia and Ukraine to secure a six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Oleshky region