What is the Western Sahara conflict and who are the main parties involved?

The Western Sahara conflict represents Africa's largest active territorial dispute, involving Morocco and the Polisario Front. Morocco controls about 80% of the territory, considering it their 'southern provinces,' while the Polisario Front represents the indigenous Sahrawi people who claim independence through the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The disputed territories are separated by a 2,700-kilometer wall filled with landmines, creating one of the world's longest minefields. After a long-standing ceasefire collapsed in 2020, armed conflict has resumed, threatening to draw in foreign powers from around the world.