فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Nouakchott, Mauritania – In a move with major geopolitical repercussions, the Mauritanian army has reinforced its control over its northern border with Algeria, confronting growing smuggling networks and instability. Mauritanian authorities have decided to completely close the Lebreika area, located on the country’s northeastern edge, adjacent to the Tindouf camps.
This measure, which included an order to evacuate Sahrawi refugees illegally present in this territory, marks a break from past tolerance towards informal economic activities linked to smuggling.
For years, Lebreika had transformed into a focal point for the parallel economy, fueled by suspicious flows of fuel, cement, subsidized goods, and diverted humanitarian aid intended for the Tindouf camps. Entire convoys of trucks operated in a closed trafficking circuit, evading all customs or tax control, to the detriment of the Mauritanian economy and its internal stability.
Lebreika: From Lawless Zone to National Security Issue
This is not the first time the Mauritanian army has attempted to intervene in this region. However, previous warnings had gone unheeded due to a lack of economic alternatives for the involved refugees and a degree of institutional leniency. This time, the decision is more decisive: Lebreika is now a closed military site where all civilian or commercial activities are prohibited.
With this, Mauritania has sent a strong signal by declaring the strategic Lebreika area a “closed site,” ordering the evacuation of Polisario elements involved in suspicious activities linked to smuggling networks between Tindouf and Mauritanian territory.
This security measure confirms the growing convergence between Rabat and Nouakchott in confronting cross-border threats and regional destabilization projects led by Algiers.
