Reports from Mauritania indicate that Mauritanian and Sahrawi gold prospectors have been subjected to shelling by Algerian military forces near the Algerian area of “Guevarat,” located about 60 kilometers from the Mauritanian region of “al-Shakat.”
The latter area is accessible to Mauritanian prospectors and houses military installations for the Mauritanian army, as well as units of the national gendarmerie and a branch of “Mauritania Mining,” overseeing domestic mining activities.
Sources, speaking to the electronic newspaper Hespress, revealed that Algerian forces have been targeting gold prospectors with live ammunition along the border for over two weeks.
They noted an incident where shrapnel from an artillery shell fell close to the vehicle of one prospector, although no injuries were reported.
These sources also shared video clips documenting the shelling and highlighted the seizure of over 12 four-wheel-drive vehicles, mostly belonging to Sahrawi prospectors from the Tindouf camps, by Algerian authorities. Several individuals, including Mauritanian nationals, were arrested and subsequently detained in local prisons in the Algerian province of Tindouf.
Mohamed Hassan Mahmoud Al-Alawi, President of the General Union of Mauritanian Prospectors, criticized the Algerian authorities’ response, deeming it excessive given the lack of security threat posed by the area to Algeria.
He emphasized that the prospectors, though partly responsible for disregarding territorial sovereignty despite repeated warnings from Mauritania, do not warrant such aggressive action.
Al-Alawi underscored the need for increased awareness among prospectors, particularly regarding the proper use of GPS devices. He pointed out that some prospectors, unaware of their location within another country’s territory, are misled by sponsors of illegal mining expeditions, endangering their lives.
The President of the General Union of Mauritanian Prospectors acknowledged shortcomings on the Mauritanian side but called for collaborative measures to address the situation.
He proposed organizing regular awareness sessions for prospectors and enhancing border security through coordinated efforts between Algerian and Mauritanian authorities.
