The group expresses, in a release, "its total support for this peaceful, legal and non-offensive action, in the presence of military observers from MINURSO which aims to ensure free civil and commercial movement at this border crossing post, linking Morocco and Mauritania".

It notes that "this operation which took place, according to the MINURSO and the United Nations, without causing any casualties, had the sole objective of restoring order and putting an end to the maneuvers undermining free movement of people and goods between Africa and Europe".

In this regard, the Group welcomes the great restraint and wisdom shown by Morocco during this operation, which took place after having exhausted all possible diplomatic means, including the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

The member countries of the Group also welcome Morocco's commitment to the ceasefire, in accordance with the agreements established under the aegis of the United Nations, and the political process aimed at achieving a political, pragmatic and lasting solution to the Sahara issue, on the basis of the parameters clearly set out by the UN Security Council resolutions adopted since 2007.

They also reiterate their full support for the exclusive efforts led by the United Nations to relaunch the Round Tables process which made it possible to hold two meetings in Geneva with the participation of all parties.

The Group also reaffirms that the Moroccan autonomy initiative remains the only solution to this regional dispute, recalling that the Security Council has rightly deemed it as serious and credible.

It denounces, moreover, "the obstacles of the host country to allow the registration and the census of the populations of the camps of Tindouf in accordance with the calls of the UN Security Council and the rules of the international humanitarian law", condemning, in this regard, the diversion of humanitarian aid intended for the populations of the Tindouf camps and asking humanitarian agencies and the donor community to be vigilant in the face of the use of humanitarian aid to finance the arming of the "polisario" as part of the tension it maintains against Morocco.

The Group also expresses its concern over the withdrawal of the "Polisario" from the 1991 ceasefire and asks the UN Secretary General to demand that the armed separatists respect the ceasefire and avoid any destabilizing action which will have unfortunate consequences for the resumption of the political process.

The Group said it is "deeply concerned over the human rights situation in the Tindouf camps, the serious collective and individual violations committed by the Polisario against the populations of these camps, in particular the arbitrary detentions, the enlistment of children in separatist armed militias and the denial of fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly".

It also denounces the instrumentalization of human rights for political purposes and welcomes the efforts made by Morocco for the protection and promotion of human rights and its regular and constructive interaction with the UN mechanisms in this area.