El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed

El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed (or El-Wali Mustapha Sayed) (1950-1976) was Sahrawi nationalist leader. He helped to found the Polisario Front in 1973 with the goal of liberating Spanish Sahara from Spanish colonialism, and waged a largely successful guerilla campaign to this effect, forcing Spain to retreat into the major coastal cities by 1975. After the joint Moroccan-Mauritanian invasion of Western Sahara in late 1976, he followed refugee Sahrawis into exile in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria. From there, he presided over the government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, becoming its first president.

Related Topics:
1950 - 1976 - Sahrawi - Nationalist - Polisario Front - 1973 - Spanish Sahara - Spanish - Colonialism - Guerilla - 1975 - Moroccan - Mauritanian - Western Sahara - Refugee - Tindouf - Algeria - Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic - President

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El-Ouali was killed in combat during a raid on the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott in 1976, and is revered as a national martyr by the Sahrawi refugee population. He was succeeded by Mohammed Abdelaziz as Secretary-General of the Polisario and President of the Sahrawi republic.

Related Topics:
Nouakchott - Martyr - Mohammed Abdelaziz

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