Two Mauritanian gold miners died yesterday in a bombing carried out by a drone from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR). According to a media outlet based in Zouerate, the victims were in a vehicle registered in Mauritania. The incident occurred in the "Karzarz" region, east of the Berm, an area that the Mauritanian source describes as being "under the control of the Polisario Front". The press affiliated with the Polisario quickly reacted to this operation, criticizing the "silence" of the authorities in Nouakchott. Several voices in Mauritania share this indignation. It should be recalled that in January 2024, the Mauritanian government had already warned gold miners about the risks involved in "border areas" where security is not guaranteed. The Minister of the Interior and Decentralization, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ahmed Lemine, had then stated: "Gold miners who cross the country's borders and explore outside expose their lives to danger." It should be noted that, during their attacks on FAR positions or Sahrawi civilians, Polisario militias often use vehicles with Mauritanian license plates.
