The Tindouf Camps in Algeria, Explained
Near Tindouf in south-west Algeria sit camps that have hosted Sahrawi populations since 1975. Their size and management are themselves contested in the conflict.
A 50-year limbo
Residents have lived in the camps for nearly five decades, administered by the Polisario on Algerian soil.
The UN has long urged a census; Algeria has resisted a full registration of the population.
Why they matter
The camps are central to debates over who would vote in any referendum and over humanitarian aid.
Morocco invites camp residents to return to the southern provinces under its autonomy offer.
Frequently asked
Who runs the camps?
The Polisario, on Algerian territory near Tindouf.
Has the population been counted?
No full UN census has been allowed, a long-standing point of contention.
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