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| Sahrawi People's Liberation Army | |
|---|---|
| Spanish: Ejército de Liberación Popular Saharaui Arabic: جيش التحرير الشعبي الصحراوي | |
 Flag of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | |
| Founded | 10 May 1973 (51 years, 6 months ago) |
| Headquarters | Tifariti |
| Leadership | |
| Commander in chief | President Brahim Ghali |
| Chief of Staff | Mohamed Wali Akeik |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | No |
| Active personnel | 20,000–30,000 |
| Reserve personnel | 50,000 |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |  Algeria Libya (1976–1984) |
| Related articles | |
| History | List of wars involving the SADR Western Sahara conflict |
| Ranks | Military ranks of SADR |
The Sahrawi[a] People's Liberation Army (SPLA; Arabic: جيش التحرير الشعبي الصحراوي, romanized: Jaysh al-Taḥrīr al-Shaʻbī al-Ṣaḥrāwī; Spanish: Ejército de Liberación Popular Saharaui, ELPS/ELP) is the army of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and previously served as the armed wing of the Polisario Front prior to the foundation of the Republic.[1] Its commander-in-chief was the Secretary-General of the Polisario, but the army is now also integrated into the SADR government through the SADR Minister of Defense. The SADR and the Polisario Front have no navy or air force. The SPLA's armed units are considered to have a manpower of possibly 20,000–30,000 active soldiers today, but during the war years its strength appears to have increased to 100,000 men.[citation needed] It has a potential manpower of many times that number, since both male and female refugees in the Tindouf camps undergo military training at age 18.[citation needed] Women formed auxiliary units protecting the camps during war years.
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