In a statement to Spanish News Agency EFE, Boukaert said the investigation conducted by his organization in Laayoune revealed that casualties announced by the Moroccan authorities, eleven people among security forces in addition to two civilians, are "real".

    HRW representative, who is preparing a report on Laayoune’s incidents, said that dismantling Gdeim Izik camp resulted in "violence but without the use of firearms, which caused more casualties among security forces than among the demonstrators."

    He also expressed the “skepticism of his organization about the number of deaths announced by the polisario.”

    Commenting on Laayoune’s events, Boukaert said false rumors saying that a large number of people died while dismantling the camp are the source of riots in the city. The situation then went out of control. Several public buildings were burned and several members of the security forces were killed.

    The Spanish news agency said that Boukaert’s statements are based on tens of interviews with Moroccan authorities and Sahrawi civilians.

Source: MAP
News and events concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas