UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of the risk of an escalation of hostilities in Western Sahara after the end of a 35-year peacekeeping mission, Al Jazeera reported.

The departure of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) “does not abrogate” the people’s “inalienable right to self-determination”, the UN said. At the Security Council, Russia vetoed the resolution despite support from 11 of the 15 members, including permanent members France and the United Kingdom.