Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Battle of Smara

Battle of Smara was a battle fought on 5 October 1979 at Smara, in what is now Morocco; it lasted 3 days. It was part of the Western Sahara War, which ran from 1975 to 1991.

See it on the globe Read the article

Fought5 October 1979lasted 3 days
WhereSmara, Morocco26.739N, 11.670W
BelligerentsSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Polisario FrontagainstMorocco
Part ofWestern Sahara War1975 to 1991

Where it sits in the Western Sahara War

Battles of La Güera and Tichla, 1975Battle of Ain Ben Tili, 1976First Battle of Amgala, 1976Second Battle of Amgala, 1976Battle of Bucraa, 1977Battle of Zouérat, 1977Battle of Tan-Tan, 1979Battle of Tichla, 1979Battle of Bir Anzarane, 1979Battle of Smara, 1979Battle of Al Mahbes, 1979Battle of Bucraa, 1979Siege of Zag, 1979Battle of Akka, 1980Battle of Cape Boujdour, 1980Battle of Gueltat Zemmour, 1980Battle of Gueltat Zemmour, 1981Battle of Smara, 1981Battle of Guelta Zemmur, 1981Smara and Bou Craa attacks, 1982Battle of Lemseied, 1983Battle of Smara, 1983Battle of Z'Moul Niran, 1984Battle of Hausa (1984), 1984Battle of Al Mahbes, 1985Battle of Farsia, 1987Battle of Tichla, 1987Battles of Farsia and Oum Dreyga, 1987Haouza attack, 1988Battle of Oum Dreyga, 1988Battle of Guelta Zemmour, 1989Battle of Hausa, 1989Battle of Amgala, 198919751989Battle of Smara, 1979
33 placed engagements of the Western Sahara War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date5 October 1979
to 8 October 1979
PlaceSmara, Morocco
26.739N, 11.670W
KindBattle, Cold War
Casualties and lossesAccording to Morocco: 1,085 dead; and 194 to 250 vehiclesAccording to Morocco: 121 dead, wounded and prisoners.; According to the Polisario: 1,269 dead; 1,200 wounded or missing; 42 prisoners; and 3 aircraft set on fire
Commanders
  • Driss El Harti
Battle of SmaraBattle of SmaraFirst Battle of AmgalaSecond Battle of AmgalaBattle of HausaBattle of LemseiedFirst Battle of AmgalaSecond Battle of AmgalaBattle of HausaBattle of LemseiedLaayouneDawra100 km26.739N, 11.670W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1979

Battle of Smara is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 143 in present-day Morocco.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2889996, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Smara (1979), revision 1370274491, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.