Mauritanian prospectors operating near the country’s northern border attacked fighters from the Polisario Front earlier this week in the buffer zone of the Sahara, according to information obtained by Hespress from sources in Mauritania.
The confrontation reportedly left several injured and led to the seizure of weapons used by the separatist group.
Sources described the incident as a dangerous escalation that underscores growing tension along the Mauritania-Sahara frontier.
They called on Nouakchott’s authorities to intervene and curb unregulated cross-border gold prospecting, warning that the activity is increasingly threatening local stability.
According to the same accounts, the attack was a retaliatory move by some Mauritanian prospectors following repeated harassment by Polisario elements, including the confiscation of vehicles and mining equipment and the imposition of large fines for their return, roughly 1,200 U.S. dollars, per vehicle.
Miners working in disputed areas told Hespress that Polisario fighters frequently seize vehicles and gold-bearing stones extracted under harsh and risky conditions, often amid fears of Moroccan drone strikes.
Those same fighters, sources said, sell the confiscated stones and equipment in Mauritania, sometimes through intermediaries or in disguise, to processing mills in the northern city of Zouérat.
Local mining syndicates, known as “kolaba,” expressed anger that Polisario elements restrict their activity despite the absence of clear border demarcation or Mauritanian military checkpoints.
They also accused Polisario members and camp residents of moving freely inside Mauritania, in some cases using vehicles with Mauritanian license plates.
The sources held Nouakchott responsible for the growing disorder, citing weak enforcement and the lack of deterrence against cross-border prospecting.
They urged immediate field measures to prevent further incidents, describing the latest clashes as a serious warning sign.
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