edit - there, I put quotation marks around the above statement made by a gendarmes colonel and everyone should be happy! / priffe

Travelling through Mauretania for a week around Xmas, I got to talk with locals and gendarmes in many places.
The regional commander around Ghami told me the country is now safe, and even as a family we could travel anywhere we liked!!!
He actually said "Anywhere".
I incredulously asked: Nema? Oualata? Fderik?
"Of course".
But if there were Al Qaeda elements crossing into Mauretania, or even attacks? "As long as they stay in Mali, they can do what they like - it is not our war. But if they cross the border, we will defend our territory".

Indeed, there are now checkpoints wherever you go. The highway between Nouadibou and Nouakchott is looking more like Morocco, with gas stations, restaurants and even small cities shooting up from the sand.
The idea of Al Qaeda feels very remote.

In Nouakchott, there are gendarmes and police everywhere.

In Bogue, I stayed with the family under one of the nomad tents where they put out matresses and you can sleep the night for free if you eat.
Gendarm officer asked if we wouldn't prefer a hotel? "No, we're fine here".
I didn't notice, as travellers came in and left through the night, that gendarmes took turns sleeping next to us, without saying a word.

In Selibaby, the local chief of police said in the morning "I have been circulating all night! I was so worried about you!"

Leaving Selibaby for the piste, I had to sign a release where I took upon myself all responsibility for my family. Driving through a small village, we met a bloke carrying a laptop - the local boss. I asked if he had seen any beards ("les barbus") around - - - this question would mostly generate laughter wherever we asked, but he said: "Look, we don't accept any kind of problems here. Everyone has the number for the gendarmerie (116) and would call right away if they saw something suspect".
At the last gendarm post in Melgue on the Mauri side of the oued, I had to sign yet another release - this time that we against all advice were crossing into Mali and that I was taking all responsibilities for what could happen. Had to write it down four times before he was satisfied with the wording.

And so I came to the conclusion that you can actually drive around in Mauretania at this time - something we should take advantage of, no?

There is an agreement from what I have heard that AQ can't have any bases closer than 20 kms to the border. It seems inevitable that the instability and rapidly changing situation in Mali will spill over into Mauretania and they will be dragged into the action. Some say there is a plan already on the table that the Mauries will finish the job when the French and Ecowas troops have done their part.
But at the moment, Mauretania appears to be safe for travel.