On Tuesday morning, a Moroccan military drone launched an attack on two vehicles belonging to Sahrawis from the Tindouf refugee camps, located within the contested buffer zone of the Sahara. This incident resulted in injuries to two individuals, although no fatalities have been reported, according to a source from the General Union of Mauritanian Prospectors who spoke to Hespress.
The vehicles, as described by the source, were reportedly engaged in gold prospecting activities, having crossed into the buffer zone near Garzerz prior to the drone strike. Witness accounts suggest that the attack resulted in one vehicle being entirely consumed by flames, while the other sustained significant damage, rendering its engine inoperable.
This drone strike is part of a broader pattern of Moroccan military operations targeting vehicles associated with Mauritanian gold prospectors who venture into the buffer zone. In response to these incursions, authorities in Nouakchott have consistently advised prospectors to limit their activities strictly to Mauritania's territory, emphasizing the importance of adhering to national borders.
As Mauritania intensifies its border security measures, plans are in place to establish additional checkpoints along its northern frontier, alongside the creation of designated areas that will be off-limits to civilians. This proactive stance aims to mitigate unauthorized crossings and bolster national security.
Moreover, Mauritanian sources have previously indicated that the Polisario Front has conducted operations targeting prospectors within Mauritania, allegedly as a means of exerting pressure on the government in Nouakchott to reconsider its border control measures.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
