The UN is ending its mission in Western Sahara after 35 years.
The Security Council failed to extend the mandate of the peacekeepers. On November 1, the end of the mission and the return of its property to countries that provided conditions began, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, Reuters reports.
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Russia vetoed a US-drafted resolution that anchored support for Western Sahara's autonomy in Moroccan sovereignty and provided for a reduction in peacekeeping forces. Then the Security Council rejected the Russian project, and the mandate expired.
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The MINURSO mission has been operating since 1991. She oversaw the ceasefire and was forced to organize a referendum on the future of the territory. The vote never took place due to disagreements about who had the right to participate in it.