Tindouf Camps: Fraud scandals, alleged diversion of humanitarian aid and growing questions over Polisario finances

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November 2, 2026

While thousands of Sahrawi families continue to live in difficult and precarious conditions in the Tindouf camps, a series of financial controversies is raising serious questions over the management of humanitarian assistance and funds intended for the refugee population.
The allegations range from the diversion of international aid and personal enrichment to major financial fraud, deepening concerns about the relationship between the camp population and the Polisario leadership.
One of the controversies concerns the management of humanitarian assistance in Italy and the activities of Fatima Mahfoud, described as the Polisario representative in Rome. Sahrawi activists and dissenting voices have called for greater transparency, while independent platforms, including Mediterranews, have reported complaints concerning humanitarian and medical-assistance projects.
Critics accuse Mahfoud of controlling financial flows without sufficient independent oversight and allege that some resources intended to assist vulnerable populations may instead benefit movement officials. These allegations remain subject to independent verification.
A separate controversy surrounds the collapse of Infravest for Contracting and Investment, a company that reportedly operated in the camps from 2022 under the direction of Sallamou Abba Ali.
Residents, traders and local cooperatives in Rabouni and the Chahid El Hafed camps have reportedly demanded the return of their funds following the company’s collapse. The amount involved has been estimated at approximately 886 billion Algerian dinars, or around US$6.6 million.
Infravest is accused of establishing credibility through cultural sponsorship and construction projects before allegedly operating a Ponzi-type scheme that absorbed the savings of vulnerable Sahrawi families. Questions have also been raised over how the company was able to operate for several years in a closed and militarized environment.
The allegations further include possible complicity by senior figures within the Polisario apparatus. Such claims would require independent evidence and investigation before responsibility could be established.
Taken together, the two affairs have intensified calls for greater transparency and oversight of financial resources connected to the Tindouf camps. For residents already facing severe economic hardship, the central concern is whether humanitarian funds and other resources provided in their name are actually reaching their intended beneficiaries.
The international community, the European Union and donor countries are facing growing calls to strengthen oversight through reliable verification of beneficiary populations, independent audits of aid distribution and greater accountability for public and charitable funds.
At the heart of the controversy is a fundamental question: how can humanitarian assistance be protected from diversion and financial abuse while ensuring that the dignity, security and basic needs of the Tindouf camp population remain the priority?