Algerian dissident and former army officer Anouar Malek unveiled explosive findings from his latest book, “The Polisario and Iran: Secrets of Terrorism from Tehran to Tindouf.”
In an exclusive interview with le360, Malek, backed by documents and testimonies, highlighted the evolution of Algerian proxy, the Polisario Front, into a strategic arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its Al-Qods Force, operating under Algerian protection.
The author showed that senior Polisario figures, including current leader Brahim Ghali, engaged in covert meetings with Syrian and Iranian officials and that some fighters joined Hezbollah units during the 2012 battle of Qoussair in Syria.
Malek also accuses the group of trafficking Algerian-supplied weapons to Sahel-based terror networks, generating illicit profits shared with corrupt military circles. He says these revelations have triggered threats and intimidation attempts against him since his May 2025 press conference.
Malek’s book come as Washington intensifies scrutiny of the Polisario. In June 2025, US Congressmen Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act (H.R. 4119), directing the State Department to assess whether the separatist movement meets criteria for Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) status.
The bill cites the group’s alleged ties to Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia, as well as its destabilizing role in North Africa. The 90-day compliance window expired in August, paving the way for potential sanctions, asset freezes, and travel restrictions. Congressman Wilson reiterated in September that the Polisario “functions as a terrorist entity,” underscoring bipartisan calls for action.
Analysts and think tanks, including the Hudson Institute and Heritage Foundation, have echoed these concerns, pointing to evidence of Iranian drone transfers, arms smuggling routes through the Sahel, and radicalization within Polisario ranks.
European intelligence reports have warned of Polisario-linked jihadists joining AQIM and ISIS, raising fears of spillover into Europe. Recent reports of Hezbollah-linked delegations visiting Tindouf camps have further fueled alarm over Tehran’s expanding footprint in North Africa.
Morocco severed ties with Iran in 2018 after accusing Tehran and Hezbollah of arming and training Polisario fighters.
For Malek, the stakes are clear: “The Polisario is no longer just a separatist movement; it is a dangerous proxy undermining regional stability.”
