Battle of Al Mahbes (1985)

Battle of Al Mahbes (1985)
	Part of the Western Sahara War
Date	12 January 1985
Location	Al Mahbes, Western Sahara27.416°N 9.051°W
Result	Military stalemate
Belligerents
Western Sahara	Morocco
Casualties and losses
66 killed ; 6 T-55s ; 2 BMP-1s ; 6 other vehicles[1]; (Moroccan claim)	25 Killed ; 48 wounded; (Moroccan claim); 311 killed; 3 captured[2]; 1 Moroccan Mirage F1 shot down[3]; 17 tanks; 14 armoured personnel carriers; 21 other royal vehicles; (Polisario claim)
	Location within Western Sahara

The Battle of Mahbes was fought on 12 January 1985 during the Western Sahara War. As part of its Grand-Maghreb offensive, the Polisario Front, with heavy means (tanks and ground-to-air missiles), breaks through the wall of sand defended by the Royal Moroccan armed forces.

Background

Stages of construction of the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall.

The town of Al Mahbes is located behind the 4th sand wall which was being completed.

Polisario forces in this regions was pushed back into their Algerian bases. They will make one last attempt to break through this confinement.[4]

According to the Moroccan Army, the Polisario Front engaged three motorised battalions (on Land Rover), one battalion of T-55 tanks and one mechanised battalion on BMP-12.[1]

Battle

The Polisario Front attacked a Moroccan detachment participating in the construction of the wall north of Wadi Tenuechad, 8 kilometres from the Algerian border. The battle took place on a front of about fifteen kilometres from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. then, according to Morocco, the attackers withdrew towards Algeria.[2]

A Saharawi 2K12 Kub missile fired from Algeria shot down a Moroccan Mirage F1 fighter jet.[3]

Casualties and consequences

Morocco announces that the Polisario's losses are 66 men, 6 T-55s, 2 BMP-1s and 6 other vehicles.[1]

Rabat acknowledges that 25 Moroccan soldiers were killed and 48 wounded, while the Polisario communiqué announces the death of 311 soldiers, the capture of 3 other soldiers and the destruction of 17 tanks, 14 armoured personnel carriers and 21 other royal vehicles.[2]

This attack shows that the Polisario is still capable of launching heavy attacks and that the Moroccan defence wall is not impassable.

References

Pino, Domingo del (1985-01-14). "Marruecos reconoce haber perdido un Mirage y 25 hombres ante el Polisario". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
"Rabat et le Polisario ont admis que de violents combats viennent d'avoir lieu". Le Monde.fr (in French). 1985-01-15. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
"Le missile qui a abattu un Mirage marocain venait d'un " territoire limitrophe " accuse Rabat". Le Monde.fr (in French). 1985-01-16. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
"Libya: Between the Maghreb and black Africa". Strategic Survey. 85 (1): 100–106. 1984-01-01. doi:10.1080/04597238408460658. ISSN 0459-7230.

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[elpaisf-1] Pino, Domingo del (1985-01-14). "Marruecos reconoce haber perdido un Mirage y 25 hombres ante el Polisario". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2020-07-22.

[lemonded-2] "Rabat et le Polisario ont admis que de violents combats viennent d'avoir lieu". Le Monde.fr (in French). 1985-01-15. Retrieved 2020-07-22.

[lemondef-3] "Le missile qui a abattu un Mirage marocain venait d'un " territoire limitrophe " accuse Rabat". Le Monde.fr (in French). 1985-01-16. Retrieved 2020-07-22.

[4] "Libya: Between the Maghreb and black Africa". Strategic Survey. 85 (1): 100–106. 1984-01-01. doi:10.1080/04597238408460658. ISSN 0459-7230.