Mauritania Grants Ultimatum to Arab Nomads

The government of Mauritania has issued an ultimatum to thousands of Arab nomads, known as the Mahamid, to leave the country by December 31. The nomads, who have lived in southeastern Mauritania for decades, were told by local authorities that they must return to their home country by the end of the year. The Mahamid are Arab nomads who originally came from Chad and have been living in Mauritania since the 1970s.

The Mahamid fled to Mauritania due to a devastating drought in their native region of Abeche in eastern Chad. They were followed by other groups who escaped conflicts in Chad and Sudan. However, their increasing livestock, particularly camels, and the scarcity of pastures and water have led to clashes with local residents, resulting in fatalities. The Mauritanian military government accuses the Mahamid of providing arms and logistical support to the jihadist group Boko Haram.

The government has taken several measures against the Mahamid, culminating in a decision to expel them. In August, the governor of the Difa region, General Mohamedou Ibrahim Bagadoma, stated on national television that seized arms and gathered intelligence from 2023 to 2026 suggested that some Mahamid members were involved in supplying arms and ammunition to terrorist groups in the Lake Chad basin.

The Difa region, where the Mahamid primarily reside, has experienced over a decade of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa. The Ministry of Interior has requested that governors identify and document all Mahamid individuals, withdraw their Mauritanian civil documents, and organize their return to their country of origin.

The government has also banned the Mahamid from re-entering Mauritania. The nomads have until December 31 to leave the country, and it remains to be seen how many will heed the ultimatum. The situation highlights the challenges faced by the Mauritanian government in managing the presence of foreign groups within its borders.

The Mahamid are not only accused of supporting terrorist groups but also of contributing to the degradation of the environment and the local economy. Their expulsion is seen as a measure to restore stability and security in the region. However, the humanitarian implications of the decision are still unclear.

As the deadline approaches, the international community is watching the situation closely, with concerns about the potential consequences of the expulsion. The Mauritanian government has not provided details on the support it will offer to the Mahamid who choose to leave the country.

Key points

• The Mauritanian government has given thousands of Arab nomads until December 31 to leave the country.
• The nomads are accused of supporting the jihadist group Boko Haram.
• The decision to expel the nomads is aimed at restoring stability and security in the region.