عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Mauritanian Security Pursues 'Sleeper Cells', Fears Return of Clashes with 'Al-Qaeda'

Mauritanian forces during a patrol in the desert (Mauritian Army)
Mauritanian forces during a patrol in the desert (Mauritian Army)
    Nouakchott – Sheikh Mohammed
TT
20
TT

Mauritanian Security Pursues 'Sleeper Cells', Fears Return of Clashes with 'Al-Qaeda'

Mauritanian forces during a patrol in the desert (Mauritian Army)
Mauritanian forces during a patrol in the desert (Mauritian Army)

The Mauritanian authorities announced that an anti-terrorism military unit carried out a special operation in a remote desert area, killing three of the four al-Qaeda members who escaped from the central prison in Nouakchott a week ago.

The fleeing prisoners were apprehended about 400 km northeast of the capital en route to a desert road used by smugglers leading to Mali.

A Mauritanian army source believed the terrorists most likely intended to head towards northern Mali, the strongholds of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that they were in a four-wheel drive car, but it broke down, and they were spotted by locals, who informed security.

A battalion of the elite Mauritanian gendarmerie, trained in combating terrorism, participated in the operation with the support of army special forces and the Mauritanian Air Force.

A clash occurred between the two parties, resulting in the death of the three terrorists and the arrest of the fourth. A member of the Mauritanian gendarmerie was killed, according to the joint statement of the defense and interior ministries.

Meanwhile, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani offered his condolences for the death of the armed forces.

Ghazouani was referring to two guard members whom prisoners killed during the escape and the police officers killed during the clash.

The escape of al-Qaeda members who had been in prison for more than ten years, two of whom were sentenced to death, rekindled the threat of terrorism, knowing that the last terrorist operation in the country dates back to 2011.

The Mauritanian journalist, Sidi Mohammed Bellamech, confirmed that active sleeper cells helped the terrorists escape prison.

Bellamech told Asharq Al-Awsat that some terrorists provided the prisoners with a four-wheel drive car that took them from the prison, adding that dozens of people are linked to the terrorists.

According to Bellamech, Mauritanian security authorities believed the operation was essential for national security even if it involved losses, as it uncovered sleeper terrorist cells growing in the absence of the state.

The journalist concluded that this process is a turning point in the history of the Mauritanian state's dealings with the terrorism file, pointing out that a new security strategy must be implemented, reconsidering the dialogue mechanism with terrorists.

Mauritanian authorities maintained strict security measures in the capital and on the country's main roads, and the internet was cut on mobile networks.

Authorities are still looking for wanted persons involved in the escape operations.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)

A surge in deadly violence has gripped the quiet northern town of al-Dabbah, exposing the growing threat posed by the rampant spread of weapons across Sudan in the absence of effective state control.

At least eight people were killed over just two days, four in tribal clashes and four others in a street fight within the town.

The latest bloodshed comes amid a broader climate of insecurity, where gunfire has become a common soundscape. In nearby Omdurman, social media users circulated graphic footage of a young man shot dead in cold blood after resisting an attempt to steal his mobile phone.

Reports of killings and injuries from arguments and brawls settled with bullets have flooded social platforms, painting a grim picture of lawlessness. Armed robbery gangs are said to roam freely, terrorizing civilians with no security forces in sight.

As Sudan’s brutal conflict enters its third year, guns have become as commonplace in towns and villages as household items. What was once settled with fists or sticks is now resolved through the barrel of a gun.

Tens of thousands of civilians have reportedly armed themselves, citing the need for self-defense amid state collapse and the disintegration of law enforcement.

Even before the war erupted, estimates suggested around 2.2 million firearms were circulating in Sudan’s conflict zones. Since then, the figure is believed to have ballooned, with unofficial estimates placing the current number at nearly six million, most acquired privately or informally.

In al-Dabbah, local authorities confirmed tribal clashes erupted between members of the Kababish and Hawaweer tribes, leaving four dead and others wounded before security forces intervened. The following day, a quarrel between vehicle drivers escalated into a gunfight, claiming four more lives.

Meanwhile, in the Omdurman district of Al-Hattana, gunmen fatally shot a man while attempting to snatch his phone, another grim scene that social media brought into public view.

Weapons have now flooded Sudan’s markets. Eyewitnesses and former security officials say that under the brief control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, firearms were openly sold on the street like vegetables, with prices starting at just 20,000 Sudanese pounds, roughly $10.

Security experts say this gun chaos is not a sudden phenomenon but the product of years of unchecked proliferation.

Under former President Omar al-Bashir, weapons were distributed to tribal militias to fight opposing groups. With the eruption of nationwide conflict, arms have spread from the traditional battlegrounds of Darfur and Kordofan to cities in Sudan’s north, east, and center.

Legal analyst Moaz Hadra warned of the growing dangers of “random arming,” saying some groups are being trained and armed outside Sudan to destabilize the country. “Why are these groups being trained abroad instead of within Sudan’s military institutions?” he asked when speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Officials Downplay Risk, Citing Self-Defense

Despite mounting violence, Sudanese security and military officials continue to downplay the threat. They argue that most weapons are held by civilians for self-protection against RSF attacks or roaming bandits. “Should a citizen wait helplessly while armed men storm his home?” one commentator asked rhetorically.

Brigadier General Fath al-Rahman al-Toum, a police spokesman, dismissed fears of total lawlessness, saying that gun crackdowns are ongoing and that firearms possession is being treated as an exceptional situation under extraordinary circumstances.

Others, like Brigadier General Saleh Abdullah, insist that once the war ends, collecting the weapons will be “very easy,” noting that most guns were distributed under strict regulations to reserve forces and can be retrieved using serial numbers registered to each piece. “The army has always managed its weapons according to clear protocols,” he said.

Major General Mujahid Ibrahim added that Sudan’s porous borders, particularly in the west, have made it easier for arms to enter the country unchecked, exacerbating the crisis. Still, military officials say weapons loaned to civilians can be recovered thanks to detailed logs and unique identifiers.

Yet, as al-Dabbah and Omdurman reel from fresh bouts of violence, the gap between official reassurance and on-the-ground chaos continues to widen. With Sudan’s civil war showing no sign of abating, the unchecked spread of guns threatens to tear apart what remains of the country’s fragile social fabric.