The United Nations Security Council has unanimously backed the U.N. chief's attempts to restart negotiations to end the Western Sahara conflict and extended its peacekeeping mission for another year. The resolution late on Friday came after the U.N. mission confirmed the Polisario Western Sahara independence movement had withdrawn its troops from the Guerguerat area in the disputed territory where they had faced off since last year with Moroccan forces. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier this month called for Morocco and the Polisario Front, to enter new negotiations that would include proposals from both sides.
