The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has officially ended its operations and entered a liquidation phase after a diplomatic deadlock at the UN Security Council over the weekend. The mission, which had monitored a ceasefire since 1991, expired at midnight on Saturday following reciprocal vetoes from the United States and Russia, A resolution proposed by the U.S. sought to extend the mission for one year, establishing Morocco's autonomy plan as the exclusive framework for future negotiations and eliminating the term "Referendum" from the mission's official title. Russia vetoed this proposal, stating it disregarded the interests of the Polisario Front and eliminated the possibility of self-determination. A counter-resolution from Moscow to extend the mandate under its current terms was also vetoed by Washington. The termination of the mandate leaves the disputed territory without an active ceasefire monitor or neutral buffer for the first time in thirty years, raising the risk of renewed armed conflict between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

<p>The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has officially ended its operations and entered a liquidation phase after a diplomatic deadlock at the UN Security Council over the weekend. The mission, which had monitored a ceasefire since 1991, expired at midnight on Saturday following reciprocal vetoes from the United States and Russia, A resolution proposed by the U.S. sought to extend the mission for one year, establishing Morocco's autonomy plan as the exclusive framework for future negotiations and eliminating the term "Referendum" from the mission's official title. Russia vetoed this proposal, stating it disregarded the interests of the Polisario Front and eliminated the possibility of self-determination. A counter-resolution from Moscow to extend the mandate under its current terms was also vetoed by Washington. The termination of the mandate leaves the disputed territory without an active ceasefire monitor or neutral buffer for the first time in thirty years, raising the risk of renewed armed conflict between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.</p>