Republican Senator Ted Cruz, (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, slammed U.S. officials this week for intentionally omitting the Polisario Front from counterterrorism discussions, despite evidence of the group’s ties to Iran-backed terror activities in North Africa and the Sahel.
During a Senate hearing on counterterrorism efforts in North Africa and the Sahel region, Cruz accused the administration of a “willful blind spot” regarding the separatist group’s destabilizing influence.
He also noted a contradiction between praising Algeria as a “critical pillar of stability in the region” and vaguely warning of terrorist activity in the Sahel without naming the parties involved. He also pointed out Iran’s proxy Hezbollah’s collusion with Algeria and Polisario.
“Iran is trying to turn the Polisario Front into the Houthis for West Africa, a proxy force capable of waging war to threaten regional stability and pressure US partners wherever Iran wants leverage,” the senator said.
Ted Cruz highlighted Algeria as a destabilizing, Iran-tied country that endangers American regional security goals as Algeria’s regime has been hosting, financing, arming, and sheltering the Polisario Front for more than 50 years.
Senator Ted Cruz praised Morocco’s role and efforts in Counterterrorism.