Annan urges Polisario to free Moroccans

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has called on the Polisario Front to release nearly 1400 Moroccan prisoners of war seized during its struggle for the independence of Western Sahara.

In a report to the UN Security Council, Mr Annan said most of them had been held for more than 20 years and he described their continued detention as a " serious humanitarian issue."

Earlier this month, the Polisario announced it would release more than 100 Moroccans at the request of the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar.

In November, 25 Saharans were freed by Morocco. The Polisario fought a 15-year guerilla war in Western Sahara after the Moroccans annexed the former Spanish colony in 1976.

A ceasefire was agreed 11 years ago when the two sides asked the United Nations to organise a referendum on the future of the territory.

But they have been unable to agree on the composition of an electoral roll.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service