The killing of Two Saharawi students, One other Student is in a comma, Some were detained and beaten up

Date : 1rst December 2008
Time : Evening, between 08 and 08:30
Place : Agadir city. The bus station “Al masira”

Event : The killing of Two Saharawi students,
One other Student is in a comma,
Some were detained and beaten up by the police


On the 1rst of December 2008, at 08:00 in the evening,

Saharawi students were having a sit-in at the bus station of “Al masira” demanding their right of transport; they want to go to their cities in Western Sahara for the “Aid” feast.

The responsible people of the bus station did not show any help to solve the problem and offer a buss for the students.
Moreover, the police were surrounding the bus station.
At the same time, one bus driver was given the permission
by the police (according to the students testimonies’) he was given the order to go ahead towards the students whom were sitting as a protest.

The bus crushed three students, two were killed and one is in a comma at “Hassan the 2nd” hospital.
5 other students were victims as well, injured in different parts of the body.

The killed students are:

Baba Khayya and Laktif Elhousin

The student who is in a coma is named Belkadi Mbarek.

The other students’ victims:

Elkherchi Mbarek : Broken hand
Abdessalam Chtouki : Bruising at the hand and arm
Nafai Zaza : Bruising at the hand and back
Nadia : bruising at the back

The bus driver escaped immediately after committing the crime.

The police break into the bus station immediately after the crime; they beat up the students and detained 11 ones.
The students were released after a while and two of them
(Elaasli Ahmad Salem and Elhadef Mbarek) were released lately at 01h am.

The students’ victims were taken by taxis to the hospital.

The killed students and the other one who is in a comma was taken by an ambulance after half an hour to the “Hassan the 2nd” hospital.


The Moroccan authorities considered at the first time the event as an accident.
Today the under king at the tribunal of Agadir considered the event as mechanical defect and promised to follow the appropriate actions.


On the 2nd December, 2008, Saharawi students have started Demonstrations

Since the morning it was a demonstration and a march in front of the faculty of Arts and Human sciences and in the afternoon they have a Demonstration in front of the faculty of Law and Economics “Ibn Zohr” University, Agadir.

Members of Moroccan National Students Union (UNEM) expressed their solidarity to the Saharawi students and their consolation to the Martyrs students’ families.


We, the Saharawi students are continuing our peaceful struggle for Independence and Justice.

We together with the Martyrs students’ families are demanding the international community, Human Rights Organizations, international courts
to follow this serious case.


Saharawi students
In Ibn Zohr University
Agadir, Morocco