DR ‹ › On Monday, January 12, armed militias from the Polisario Front once again crossed into Mauritanian territory near the Algerian border. According to a source close to the matter contacted by Yabiladi, vehicles belonging to the separatist movement targeted dozens of Mauritanian gold prospectors operating in the area. Faced with the attack, the prospectors attempted to defend themselves by throwing stones at their assailants. To prevent the situation from escalating, the Algerian army, having initially allowed Polisario elements to enter Mauritanian territory, intervened by firing shots to disperse both sides. A fragile calm later returned to this gold-rich region, which is particularly coveted by senior Polisario officials. This latest incident comes just a week after a visit by the head of Mauritania's national security services to Algeria. During that meeting, discussions with Algerian officials reportedly focused on the ongoing insecurity along the two countries' shared borders. Last September, Polisario elements abducted several gold prospectors near the El Malhate area, despite the site being located inside Mauritanian territory. In December, other armed members of the Front reportedly demanded that Mauritanian prospectors pay 1,500 ouguiyas (around €32) each in order to continue their activities.
