The Mauritanian government has defended its decision, made in May, to close the Lebriga region on the border with Algeria. «This is a domestic security measure aimed at controlling crossings and securing the borders», said Houssein Ould Meddou, Minister of Culture, Arts, Communication, and Relations with Parliament, and spokesperson for the Mauritanian government, in an interview with France 24 Arabic. «This decision has no political motivations and does not target any specific party. It is part of a broader, long-standing state strategy to safeguard national sovereignty», he added. Mauritania's response comes amid pressure from the Polisario Front, which has been seeking access for its armed fighters through the Lebriga zone to launch attacks on Moroccan positions east of the Sand Wall. A Polisario delegation even traveled to Nouakchott on May 30 in an attempt to persuade President Mohamed Cheikh Ould El Ghazouani to reopen the zone, an effort that failed. Since then, the Mauritanian army has reinforced its presence in the area, notably through the deployment of surveillance drones.
