Mauritania has witnessed heightened tensions following an attack on a police station by migrants facing expulsion.
On Saturday, migrants who were in the process of being deported to Mali targeted a police post in Gogui, a border area between the two countries. According to security sources, the migrants first hurled stones at the police station before setting it alight. The incident comes as part of a larger campaign against irregular migration, which has seen a significant increase in arrests and expulsions in recent days.
Human rights organisations have raised concerns over the conditions in which these expulsions are taking place. Activists on social media have condemned the inhumane treatment of migrants, with particular focus on the overcrowded and unsafe conditions many are subjected to during the deportation process. One representative from the SOS Esclaves association urged authorities to reconsider their approach, emphasising that the situation risks violating migrants’ rights and dignity.
In response to the unrest, Mauritania’s government spokesman, Houssein Ould Meddou, described the security operations as part of routine work to address irregular immigration. While he did not disclose the exact number of individuals affected, he explained that those detained had entered the country without proper documentation and were being turned back at the border posts from which they arrived. The Ministry of Malians Abroad has since called for calm, noting the steady arrival of Malian nationals at the Gogui border post since the start of March and urging both sides to engage in peaceful dialogue.