SUMMARY: THE POLISARIO HAS HAD SOME SUCCESS IN THE WESTERN SAHARA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00176R001700120006-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 28, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2010/06/11 : CIA-RDP85T00176R001700120006-0
DEPARTM ENT OF STATE
THE DIRECTOR ON INTELLIGENCE AND RC5EARG"
^-- WA$M1Ns"",
t'jlState Dept. review completed
September 28, 1982
?Summar : The Polisario has had some success in the Western Sahara
-wi
th. modern heavy arms supplied largely by Libya and shipped to
Polisario bases in southern-Algeria. There is little reliable
information on direct Algerian aid to the Polisario.
transport Algeriap
port of arms and supplies for the Polisario is mainly by-
_._ truck.and.train,-and would probably continue to be overland even
if Algeria's airlift capacity were iricreased.
' Over the past 'few years Libya has supplied Polisario baits
in Algeria with SA-9 -.launchers, tbreeA to -Lour SA_g laurtehe`rs,
`'; about.40 T-54/55 tanks, BMP armored v
bi
e
e
cl
s and RM70k
,.? rocs
launchers. Other items have included Soviet-made field artil4ery -
es, ZII-23 anti-aircraft
pi guns, and Toyota t
k
ruc
s fitted wi h
hig
ecy macneuns and anti-tank guns.
The Pblisario has 8,000-10
000 combat
t
,,
an
s and support
personnel. its tactics originally consisted l
argely of hit
-a
~.. ; run attacks by small motorized` `units. ince
i
__ ~L _
ga
n
I-
++.o+ &,,%,wwver, rna Polisario has used heavier weapons
deployed to fixed camps
.
The Polisario received its major infusions of modern Soviet
arms--including .'' most of its SAM launchers---in 1981-.-- The most
significantarms shipment since then was in August 1982, when T-54/55 tanks .arrived--from--Libya:` We`='li'av~: c detailed information
on*-how munitions and other stores are replenished.
.The Algerian air force has 16 i
DECL , R
- SECRET Op
II.
jthree L-100s,.six C-130s, and seven ermediate-range transports:
transports almost all equipment for thelPolisariorby, rail aowever, -
Oran to Bechar and by truck from Bechar to Tindouf (seemap)
Algeria. ?wi11. .probably continue -to-rely -on this method, even if
1 allowed -to purchase -more C-1309.
AcomParison of the Algerian and Moroccan armed forces is
j gi-ven in the
gA1 1 nL.~ 4"1 __
Approved For Release 2010/06/11 : CIA-RDP85T00176R001700120006-0