Inside Mauritania’s mass deportation campaign targeting African migrants

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Nouadhibou, Mauritania – When Omar*, a 29-year-old bricklayer from agrarian Gambia, crossed the borderline into Mauritania successful March, helium came successful hunt of the amended wage he’d heard helium could find.

He settled successful Nouadhibou, Mauritania’s second-largest city, wherever helium shared a one-room shack with 4 friends, and recovered enactment arsenic a casual labourer connected operation sites, earning 2 to 3 times much than helium had backmost home.

‘Cruel and degrading conditions’

Al Jazeera spoke to migrants caught up successful the authorities crackdown successful Nouadhibou, the superior Nouakchott, and successful some Rosso, Mauritania, and Rosso, Senegal – duplicate cities on other sides of the Senegal River, which marks the borderline betwixt the 2 countries. Many of those we spoke to person since been pushed retired of Mauritania, often to a 3rd country.

The Mauritanian Association for Human Rights (AMDH) estimated that successful March alone, 1,200 radical were deported. Of those, astir 700 had residence permits allowing them to legally enactment successful Mauritania.

The Mauritanian authorities person not released deportation figures, but according to a connection by authorities spokesperson Houssein Ould Medou, 130,000 migrants entered the state of 5 cardinal successful 2022, portion lone 7,000 radical renewed their residence permits that year.

The authorities has not publically elaborate the scope and aims of its deportation campaign. But successful May, Interior Minister Mohamad Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine told parliament that Mauritania was afloat wrong its rights to power the question of foreigners connected its territory, stressing that authorities acted “with respect for quality dignity”. The deportees were to beryllium fixed capable nutrient and water, entree to aesculapian services, and were allowed to support their idiosyncratic possessions, helium added.

Earlier, successful March, authorities spokesperson Medou insisted that “reports of caller deportations were exaggerated,” referring to accounts circulating connected societal media sites.

After the wide deportations started this year, immoderate experts noted that akin campaigns had besides taken spot successful Mauritania successful 2009 and 2012, albeit astatine a smaller scale. However, different observers pointed retired that this time, the crackdown came not agelong aft Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced a 210 cardinal euro ($248m) migration concern deal between the European Union and Mauritania successful February 2024.

The fiscal bundle supports information and “migration management” arsenic good arsenic different investments successful “green energy, employment and skills, entrepreneurship … and strengthening entree to socioeconomic services for refugees, asylum seekers and big communities”, a European Commission (EC) spokesperson told Al Jazeera successful a written statement.

However, experts enactment that successful pursuing a argumentation of “border externalisation”, the EU has successful caller years made deals with countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Niger to stem irregular migration from large departure points successful Africa.

Mauritania is of peculiar involvement due to the fact that of its proximity to Spain’s Canary Islands. A 2025 study from Spain’s National Security Department stated that successful 2024, 25,081 radical departed from Mauritania’s shores for the archipelago – much than fractional of the islands’ 46,843 full irregular arrivals that year. A fewer radical Al Jazeera spoke to said they mightiness person considered travelling by vessel to Europe, but that it was present excessively costly and difficult. Most wanted to enactment successful Mauritania to enactment and nonstop wealth location to their families.

In October 2024, an amendment to Mauritania’s 1965 migration instrumentality came into force. The amendment legislated that immoderate overseas nationalist convicted of not abiding by migration regulations, peculiarly those entering oregon residing successful the state illegally, would beryllium “automatically expelled” and banned from re-entry for a play of 1 to 10 years.

A fewer months later, successful a code to parliament, Prime Minister Mokhtar Ould Djay described “the combat against amerciable immigration” arsenic 1 of the government’s priorities.

The Mauritanian authorities did not respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment. But successful effect to questions astir the EU, the EC spokesperson said the bloc has “scaled up its enactment to Mauritania” connected “migration management”, portion stressing that extortion for those successful request and respect for the quality rights of migrants were “fundamental principles”.

The spokesperson added that the EU is “in a changeless dialog with Mauritania” to guarantee the concern is respectful of quality rights.

However, rights groups, absorption politicians and migrants overgarment a antithetic representation of what is happening.

“What radical spot each time is fear,” said Kadiata Malik Diallo, a Mauritanian absorption MP who has been a vocal professional of the authorities campaign. “Mass expulsions carried retired nether cruel and degrading conditions.”

‘How overmuch tin you pay?’

Nouadhibou, a windswept larboard metropolis located connected the extremity of a narrow, 65km (40-mile) peninsula, has agelong drawn migrants from West and Central Africa. Many of them find enactment successful construction, fishing, oregon different sectors of the city’s informal economy. They are a disposable portion of metropolis beingness – successful markets, ports, and streets – and portion up-to-date numbers are hard to travel by, successful 2020, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated the city’s migrant colonisation astatine 32,000, astir a 5th of the total.

For Nouadhibou’s migrants, the arrests person created fearfulness and confusion.

An Ivorian operation idiosyncratic successful his mid-20s told Al Jazeera that helium had been arrested 3 times successful little than a week.

The worker, who did not person valid documents and asked to usage lone his surname, Traore*, said the archetypal clip constabulary raided his compound, 11 radical were handcuffed but released erstwhile they managed to excavation the equivalent of $200 successful bribes to the police.

Two days later, helium said, the constabulary reappeared, breaking down doors and arresting 14 people. They were taken to a section constabulary presumption earlier being released erstwhile their brag astatine the operation tract paid a bribe.

The 3rd time, helium was connected a ample operation tract adjacent Nouadhibou airdrome erstwhile it was raided by police, who arrested much than 60 men without documents. Some of those were capable to wage bribes ranging from $11 to $33, but Traore had nary wealth near and was lone released aft his brag intervened connected his behalf.

Traore’s Ivorian colleague, Ibrahim*, said that erstwhile his compound was raided, helium showed the constabulary officers his caller introduction stamp, which permitted him to enactment successful the state for the pursuing 3 months. One of the constabulary officers concluded that Ibrahim’s documents were successful order, but different serviceman ignored the stamp and arrested him.

After spending 5 days successful prison, Ibrahim was approached by a constabulary officer, who helium said told him, “Now we volition bash business. How overmuch tin you pay?” Ibrahim paid a $100 bribe.

The changeless menace of extortion and harassment has dealt a large stroke to the livelihoods of Nouadhibou’s migrant workers. “We don’t cognize what to do,” said Obi*, an electrician from the Ivory Coast. After narrowly escaping 3 arrests, helium present lone goes to enactment connected days erstwhile helium has heard that determination volition not beryllium raids. He present feels trapped successful Mauritania – incapable to gain a living, but besides incapable to spend to instrumentality home.

‘If you person money, you tin survive’

Two weeks aft the archetypal raid connected Omar’s compound, the constabulary turned up again. This time, they recovered him sleeping. Physically and mentally exhausted aft weeks of worry, Omar said helium submitted without resistance.

But for others, apprehension was a much traumatic experience.

Yunisa*, a 28-year-old Sierra Leonean forklift relation astatine a Chinese fish-processing plant, was apprehended connected his mode to work. When helium tried to telephone his brag for help, helium said his telephone was slapped retired of his hand, shattering the screen.

“I person to spell to work,” helium protested arsenic helium was handcuffed. He said the serviceman told him, “You tin spell exploit your ain country’s riches now.”

Yunisa said helium was not allowed to retrieve his belongings from his location earlier helium was deported to Rosso, Senegal.

Even those who were arrested successful their homes picture not being permitted to instrumentality their possessions with them.

Youssouf*, a 22-year-old Guinean moving successful a sardine factory, said helium asked for a infinitesimal to get his commencement certificate and schoolhouse diploma erstwhile constabulary broke down the doorway of his shack, but was told, “We don’t person clip for that.” When helium tried to insist, helium said helium was slapped. He was taken without shoes to a adjacent school, wherever helium said helium was searched, and constabulary confiscated $3 they recovered successful his pockets.

Once successful Nouadhibou’s migrant detention facility, Youssouf said helium was fed lone erstwhile a day, typically a portion of breadstuff with sardines, oregon sometimes conscionable plain bread. For water, helium was forced to trust connected a tiny pat successful the communal toilet, accessible lone during infrequent toilet breaks.

Omar said helium was fixed nary nutrient during his three-day detention, but that constabulary would connection to bring nutrient from shops astatine extortionate prices. “If the terms is 50 [Ouguiya], they bring it to you for 100. If you person money, you tin survive,” helium said.

The aforesaid rule applied erstwhile helium wanted to marque a telephone telephone to the Gambian embassy successful Nouakchott. The 11 Gambians helium was successful detention with were capable to excavation $13 to usage a guard’s phone. The telephone failed, but they were forced to wage careless and were not allowed to effort again.

Migrants who person been detained accidental entree to toilets was constricted oregon non-existent. In the 3 days Omar was held successful detention, helium was forced to urinate into a ample bucket with 50 different men successful the aforesaid country wherever they slept. Yunisa said helium and his chap inmates were told to urinate into bare h2o bottles.

‘I cried, but the constabulary didn’t listen’

While the deportation run has mostly targeted men, women and children person besides been swept up successful constabulary raids.

Mariam*, a 31-year-old parent of 2 from Sierra Leone, who had lived successful Nouakchott for 5 years, selling ice-cream connected the street, was approached by constabulary connected the mode to a pharmacy, wherever she intended to bargain medicine for her one-year-old daughter, who was sick with terrible diarrhoea.

When she protested that her 2 daughters were astatine location – 1 successful urgent request of medicine – she said she was told, “This isn’t the clip for your baby. This is the clip for documents.” She was past taken to a holding facility, which she described arsenic a “cattle shed”.

After pleading with guards astatine the detention facility, she was allowed to marque a telephone telephone to a neighbour, who brought her children to the facility. For the adjacent 2 days, they were held together. Guards would participate the country to devour successful beforehand of them, she said. On the 2nd day, a defender gave her daughters an crystal pick to share. It was the lone happening they ate during their detention.

After 2 days, Mariam’s husband’s brag paid a bribe, and she and her children were released. That aforesaid day, she near voluntarily for Senegal to reunite with her husband, who had been deported immoderate months earlier.

Others stay separated from their children. Oumar*, a 22-year-old Guinean migrant, present successful Senegal, was arrested with his woman arsenic they went to bargain food, portion their four-year-old girl stayed astatine home.

“I explained everything, I cried, but the constabulary didn’t listen,” helium told Al Jazeera from his impermanent accommodation successful Rosso.

Unable to question backmost to Mauritania and strapped for cash, Oumar and his woman bash not cognize however they volition beryllium reunited with their daughter, who is being cared for by a neighbour.

Trapped successful no-man’s land

From Nouadhibou, migrants are typically transported southbound successful buses to detention facilities successful Nouakchott, from wherever they are subsequently sent either to Gogui, Mauritania’s borderline crossing with Mali, oregon Rosso.

Detainees told Al Jazeera they are often chained to 1 different during the journey.

Amadou*, a 19-year-old Guinean present successful Senegal, described however a policeman, intending to concatenation him to different detainee, pulled him forcefully by the collar. “My brother, don’t propulsion maine similar that, don’t propulsion maine similar I’m a sheep,” helium protested. He said the serviceman slapped him truthful hard that a week later, helium was inactive incapable to perceive properly.

Once successful Rosso, detainees person their fingerprints taken astatine Mauritania’s borderline post, earlier they are released into the larboard area. There, they hold for a ferry to instrumentality them to the Senegalese borderline station connected the different broadside of the River Senegal, conscionable implicit 500 metres (550 yards) away. Once there, immoderate of those with documents that alteration them to participate Senegal visa-free are fortunate capable to transverse the border. But galore others stay stranded.

Omar, though inactive successful possession of his Gambian ID card, which should person fixed him visa-free entree to Senegal, was refused entry. “Have you been deported?” the borderline guards connected the Senegalese broadside of the stream asked. When Omar and his friends acknowledged that they had been, they were told to instrumentality to Mauritania.

Stuck astatine the Senegalese borderline post, they waited until the dormant of night, erstwhile they alternatively paid for a pirogue to smuggle them to a distant drop-off constituent successful the bush connected the Senegalese broadside of the river.

Those lacking valid documents – often near successful their Mauritanian homes due to the fact that constabulary did not let for their postulation – recounted akin experiences.

Youssouf was trapped astatine the Mauritanian borderline station until his friends pooled astir $9 to assistance him wage for the pirogue to Senegal. Under the screen of darkness, the pirogue took him to a distant marshland a fewer kilometres downstream of the borderline station crossed the river. From there, helium waded done knee-deep h2o until helium reached adust onshore connected the outskirts of Rosso.

Unable to spend the travel backmost to Guinea, Youssouf joined ample groups of deportees sleeping connected the streets of Rosso.

A time aft Youssouf and his friends spoke to Al Jazeera, they were arrested by Senegalese constabulary and sent backmost to the no-man’s onshore connected the Mauritanian broadside of the river. There, they were erstwhile again forced to excavation wealth to wage for a pirogue to instrumentality them backmost crossed the river.

Stepping disconnected the pirogue and onto Senegalese soil, Omar and his friends circumvented Rosso done distant bush roads, entering the road aft the past constabulary checkpoint extracurricular the city. From there, they took a bid of shared taxis towards The Gambia.

Al Jazeera reached retired to the liable authorities bodies successful Mauritania to inquire astir the migrant deportation campaign, including the deportees’ allegations of wide violations and misconduct by police. We contacted the authorities spokesman, the Gendarmerie, and the Ministry of the Interior, Decentralisation and Local Development, which is liable for the run and successful complaint of the constabulary forces conducting the operation. As of the clip of publication, they had not responded.

‘If they halt deporting people, I’ll spell back’

Speaking to Al Jazeera successful precocious September, a week aft his instrumentality to The Gambia, Omar expressed mixed emotions.

“There’s nary policeman chasing america here. You don’t person to look implicit your shoulder,” helium said, adding, “There’s nary spot similar home.”

But with the rainy play not yet implicit successful The Gambia, request for labourers is low, and Omar has been incapable to find work.

“The schools are opening, and my household is asking, ‘Where is the container of rice?’” helium said. “There is nary currency and they don’t similar it.”

Despite his ordeal, Omar remains nostalgic astir his aboriginal days successful Nouadhibou, erstwhile the enactment was regular and the wages good.

For now, helium intends to support a adjacent oculus connected the clime successful Mauritania. “If they halt deporting people, I’ll spell backmost to Nouadhibou,” helium said.

*All interviewees requested that lone 1 of their names beryllium utilized for information reasons.