Sunday, March 12, 2023
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An elite unit of the national gendarmerie supported by a unit of the first para commando battalion and the Mauritanian military aviation managed on Saturday to identify the four Salafist prisoners who escaped from the civil prison of Nouakchott last Sunday.
Security sources revealed that the operation, which began around 10 a.m. on Saturday, resulted in the killing of three of the fugitives and the arrest of the fourth.
A policeman lost his life during the operation.
Below is the thread of events
Saturday March 11, 2023 at 10:10 p.m.
The National Gendarmerie website published on its website condolences from the Minister of National Defense Hanena O. Sidi after the death of Constable Moustapha ould El Khadir O. Abeïd.
Saturday March 11, 2023 9:30 p.m.
The Insaf party on Saturday evening hailed the operation carried out by the armed and security forces in the El Medah area, which it described as “heroic”, adding that “all Mauritanians stand as one in the face of everything that affects our security and the tranquility of our country. »
Saturday March 11, 2023 8:30 p.m.
The Ministry of the Interior, on its Facebook page, announced that the funeral prayer on the body of martyr Constable Moustapha ould El Khadir O. Abeid will take place tomorrow Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Ibn Abbas mosque.
Saturday March 11, 2023 8:16 p.m.
The policeman who died during the operation carried out in Lemsaydi against the Salafist escapees is called Moustapha ould El Khadir O. Abeid.
The same source adds that the gendarme belongs to the elite battalion of the national gendarmerie specialized in the fight against terrorism and known as GARSI.
Two other gendarmes were reportedly injured during the operation.
Saturday March 11, 2023 5:16 p.m.
A security source revealed that the fourth prisoner mastered during the operation was injured but slightly and that the elements of the elite of the national gendarmerie avoided killing him despite his determination to confront them.
He was eventually subdued to lead the investigation into the circumstances of the prison break and the developments that followed.
Saturday March 11, 2023 5:05 p.m.
The area in which the gendarmes intercepted the fugitives is located 327 kilometers northeast of Nouakchott.
The LEMSAYDI area, within the moughata of Aoujeft, is located on a difficult Saharan route once taken by traffickers to the north of neighboring Mali.
Sources specify that this road had been taken by elements of Al Qaeda who had kidnapped Spanish hostages between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou in 2009 and crossed Mauritanian territory without being worried.
But the armed and security forces had closed these crossings in recent years and put them under surveillance.
Saturday March 11, 2023 4:42 p.m.
The clash between the gendarmerie unit and the fugitives took place in the area of LEMSEYDI, near the locality of El Medah, in the wilaya of Adrar, a mountainous area and very difficult to access.
The prisoners were on board a 4X4 vehicle, type HILUX and according to the sources it was loaded with weapons and fuel.
Saturday March 11, 2023 4:00 p.m.
Publication of a joint press release from the Ministries of National Defense and Interior and Decentralization announcing the end of the operation.
the full text of this press release:
After the cowardly terrorist operation during which two national guard martyrs fell and two others were injured last Sunday evening, March 5, 2023 at the Nouakchott civil prison and after which four terrorists managed to escape and on the high instructions of his Excellency the President of the Republic Mohamed O. Cheikh El Ghazouani to work to arrest the fugitives as quickly as possible, a high-level security commission has been set up to work in this direction.
It remained in permanent and continuous meeting to assess and monitor the situation.
After having obtained a set of information, and having analyzed it, they arrived at the hypothesis that the terrorists would be in the region of Adrar.
After the analysis of all the data collected, it appeared certain that the terrorists are indeed in this wilaya. This was followed by close coordination between the air and land forces which made it possible to locate the place where the terrorists are after having taken refuge in a mountainous area difficult to access.
During the search operation carried out by land units and units of the National Gendarmerie specializing in the fight against terrorism, the latter came under heavy fire which led it to clash with terrorist elements.
During this clash three terrorists were killed and the fourth neutralized.
A martyred gendarme fell during the exchange of fire.
On this occasion, the High Commission addresses its thanks and warm congratulations to the elements of our armed and security forces for the success of this singular operation and highly salutes the national mobilization of all of our people and their spirit of vigilance and cooperation. constructive.
The high commission reaffirms that our armed and security forces, with the help of ALLAH, will remain a strong shield to ensure the security and stability of our dear country.
Saturday March 11, 2023 3:40 p.m.
Sources confirm the presence of the wali of Adrar and military and regional officials at Atar airport to welcome the elite unit of the gendarmerie which carried out the operation in LEMSAYDI
Saturday March 11, 2023 3:22 p.m.
The arrested fugitive is Aboubacar Essedik Abdel Kérim, accused of having wanted to create a group to carry out terrorist crimes and had undergone training abroad.
Sentenced to 7 years in prison, he had been imprisoned since 2021.
Saturday March 11, 2023 2:30 p.m.
According to the first details, the operation was carried out by an elite group of the National Gendarmerie known as GARCI supported by the 1st Para Commando Battalion (BCP) in addition to air support from military aviation. through a plane that took off from the base in the city of Atar.
Saturday March 11, 2023 2:15 p.m.
A security source confirmed to Sahara Media the death of an element of GARCI during the clash with the escapees.
Saturday March 11, 2023 1:30 p.m.
Sources confirmed the end of the military operation, the death of three of the four prisoners and the neutralization of the fourth.
Saturday March 11, 2023 10:00 a.m.
The elite National Gendarmerie encircle prisoners who escaped from the Nouakchott civil prison in the LEMSAYDI area after receiving reports of a suspicious vehicle that broke down in the area on Friday.
