Mauritania - attacks in NKT

[Dave The Hat]

Mauritania captures AQIM suspects, seizes arms-source | News by Country | Reuters

[priffe]

The Mauris must be very vigilant when they can spot these vehicles coming in from Mali. Second vehicle exloded outside Nkt when the army opened fire, killing the three people in it.
The third vehicle is still missing. There may be an attack coming soon.
AFP: Mauritanian army kills 3 in car with explosives
AFP: Foiled attack targeted Mauritania president: Al-Qaeda

[Richard Washington]

Originally Posted by priffe

The Mauris must be very vigilant when they can spot these vehicles coming in from Mali.

I wonder if there is satellite surveillance going on?

Originally Posted by priffe

..... There may be an attack coming soon.

On the other hand the last two efforts failed (Niamey and now Mauri). There is definitely push-back happening. Its about time.

[priffe]

AQIM assassination attempt on O. Abdel Aziz

aside from that (nothing new really) everything peachy in Mauritania, very few westerners indeed

PS
Priffe, you must be in Atar by now

[priffe]

Nope will be another couple weeks before we sail.

Town of Rkiz, Trarza region is again mentioned in connection with terrorists. Just north of Boutilimit on N3, halfway between Nkt and Aleg, about 150 kms east of Nkt.
Seems to be the centre for Saudi wahhabism in Mauri.

lots of military today in NKC, but hey, you seek a visa extension and get a 1 year multiple visa without any probs at all in 4 hours ... where are the crusaders?

[priffe]

A few more details
some confusion re. number of vehicles.
Mauritania foils AQIM attack (Magharebia.com)
1 year multiple visa? Where do I find that in Nkt?

add AFP: Mauritanie: deux membres presumés d'Aqmi en fuite vers le Senegal
According to TMND majority of Aqim recruits come from two tribes in the Trarza region south Mauri bordering w Senegal. There was a standoff yesterday afternoon between salafists and Mauri troops:
Saharamedia in Arabic

Sources said the army besieging currently Salafi elements, near the town of "Beneke" at a distance of 100 km from the city of Rousoa, the sources said the military killed in clashes occurred two o'clock this afternoon near the town of Ksibp between the Salafists and a unit of the gendarmerie

go to DST, bring 15.000 oum and 2 photos along, ready same day

[Dave The Hat]

Apparently the 2 men corenered were members of the third vehicle which was not found after the recent attacks in Nouakchott.

Al Qaeda suspect blows self up in Mauritania clash | News by Country | Reuters

[Roger Bruton]

This all happened just two days after we went through NKT. Bit of a chill up the spine! Mauri seemed very peaceful and calm then!

Very easy part of our trip - no dust storm for a change, and the desert was amazingly green!

Roger

Originally Posted by Dave The Hat

Mauritania captures AQIM suspects, seizes arms-source | News by Country | Reuters

[priffe]

Mauritanie | Mauritanie : une explosion et des questions

Vehicles were spotted first at Bassiknou SE of Nema, then they ran a checkpoint near Sélibabi near Wompou so it seems they tried to sneak by the southern border. Anyone on the Kiffa-Kayes piste would have crossed their tracks.

The episode, which earned laurel wreaths for Mauritanian troops - a "qualitative operation that saved many lives and saved the country a lot of damage," according to the official news agency - dating back to February 2. That day, shortly after 2 am, soldiers hidden behind the dunes, Riyadh, watch a vehicle. On 29 January, the army had been notified of passing at high speed to Bassiknou in the east, a column of three 4x4. Later, Sélibaby in the Senegal River Valley, the vehicles have even ran a checkpoint. The army, obsessed with the danger that strikes AQIM in Mauritania since 2007, decided to use air assets. Hounded by a helicopter and a reconnaissance plane, the three separate vehicles. A 4x4 is abandoned by its occupants, about 200 km from Nouakchott. Another was arrested on 1 February in the afternoon. Two of his three passengers managed to flee on foot, and the third was arrested. It remains a vehicle. The army "channeled" to Nouakchott, where they prepared the ambush. Then came the explosion in Riyadh. It killed the three occupants and wounded eight 4x4 Mauritanian soldiers.

The car carried 1.5 tons of explosives.