Polisario marks W Sahara anniversary

Supporters of the pro-independence movement in Western Sahara, the Polisario Front, are today Tuesday marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of setting up a government in exile.

Polisario is holding a big military parade, but a BBC correspondent covering the anniversary says its dream of independence seems as far away as ever.

Morocco controls most of the territory, while many Sahrawis live in refugee camps -- some in Algeria.

The United Nations plans to hold a referendum on the future of the territory, but it's been delayed by disputes over who is eligible to vote. Our correspondent says many Polisario supporters, in desperation, are calling for a return to war with Morocco.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service