UN's peacekeeping mission in disputed Western Sahara ends after 35 years

The U.N.'s long-running peacekeeping mission for the disputed Western Sahara ceased operations Sunday after 35 years. Once ruled by Spain, it is claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8351x5567+0+0/resize/8351x5567!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F30%2F4e%2Fde1f3e074a53adb6510217f3e291%2Fap26305659609431.jpg' alt='FILE - A Sahrawi refugee boy stands in the shadow in the Boujdour refugee camp, Oct. 11, 2021.'/><p>The U.N.'s long-running peacekeeping mission for the disputed Western Sahara ceased operations Sunday after 35 years. Once ruled by Spain, it is claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.</p><p>(Image credit: Bernat Armangue)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6026050' />