Bir Lehlou

**Bir Lehlou** (an aa transliteratit **Bir Lahlou**, **Bir Lehlu**, Arabic: بير لحلو) is an oasis toun in north-eastren Wastren Sahara, 236&nbsp;km. frae Smara, near the Mauritanian border an east o the border wall, in POLISARIO-held territory. It haes a dispensary, a schuil an a mosque. It is the heid o the 5t militar region o the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
It is an aa the name o a Daïra o the Wilaya o Smara, in the Sahrawi refugee camps.

The name "Bir Lehlou" is transcribed frae  Arabic, an means "the sweet watter well". The Arabic transcription wad be "bir lahlu" (بير لحلو). 

## History
The **Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic**, an exiled govrenment seatit in Tindouf, Algerie, admeenisters it as the temporary caipital o the SADR, as lang as the Sahrawi caipital o El-Aaiun is unner Moroccan control. For example, it haed been the scenario o reunions o SADR's Naitional Secretariat. This is an aa frae whaur the republic's existence wis proclaimed ower radio on the nicht o Februar 27, 1976, bi its first preses, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed. Some soorces leet an aa Bir Lehlou as El-Ouali's birthplace.

Syne late 1975, Radio Nacional de la Republica Árabe Saharaui Democrática (Naitional Radio o the SADR) haed broadcastit frae thare on baith medium an short wave, wabcastin the programmin in Hassaniya Arabic, an an aa some oors in Spainyie.

On Mey 20, 2005, coincidin wi the 32nt anniversary o the beginnin o the airmed struggle o the Polisario Front, a primary schuil wis inauguratit in Bir Lehlou. The schuil wis named "José Ramón Diego Aguirre" (Spainyie colonel an historian, first foreigner tae be awairdit wi the Sahrawi honorific nationality) in his honour.

On Februar 27, 2010, Bir Lehlou hostit the 34t anniversary o the proclamation o the SADR, wi the presence o several African an Sooth American ambassadors.

On October 12, 2011, durin the 36t Naitional Unity Day celebrations, commander o the Sahrawi 5t militar region Hama Salama inauguratit an ampliation o the toun's schuil, as well as a mosque.

## Internaitional relations

### Twin touns an sister ceeties
Bir Lehlou is twinned wi:

* Artziniega, Álava, Basque Kintra, Spain
* Batna, Batna Province, Algerie (*syne Julie 8, 2009*)
* Benalúa de las Villas, Granada, Andalucía, Spain (*syne 2001*)
* Bientina, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy
* Capraia e Limite, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy
* Campi Bisenzio, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy (*since January 28, 1993*)
* El Oued, El Oued Province, Algerie (*syne Mairch 27, 2013*)
* Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain (*syne Aprile 23, 2008*)
* Prato, Prato, Tuscany, Italy (*syne Mairch 19, 1999*)
* La Rinconada, Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain

* Montemurlo, Prato, Tuscany, Italy
* Monteroni d'Arbia, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
* Montevarchi, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy
* Novelda, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (*syne December 1998*)
* San Piero a Sieve, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy
* Sagunto, Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (*syne November 29, 2003*)
* Tolosa, Gipuzkoa, Basque Kintra, Spain (*syne 1996*)
* Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain (*since March 10, 1994*)
* Trapagaran, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain
* Vecchiano, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

## See also

* Politics o Wastren Sahara
* History o Wastren Sahara

## References


## Freemit airtins
*Photo & full text of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Bir Lehlou, 27-02-1976