Mauritanian Army: No Violations of Our Borders Will Be Tolerated

Authorities in Mali have released six Mauritanian citizens who were arrested by a unit of fighters from the Russian private military group “Wagner” during a special military operation near the border between Mauritania and Mali. The Mauritanian army stated that the citizens were detained within Malian territory, emphasizing that it “will not allow” any violation of its territorial integrity.

Local sources reported that the Mauritanian citizens were released just hours after their arrest. The Wagner unit handed them over to the Malian army, which interrogated them before releasing them, allowing them to return to Mauritania late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

Following the arrest of the Mauritanians by the Wagner unit accompanying the Malian army, Mauritanian activists shared information on social media claiming that Wagner fighters and Malian forces “crossed” the border and detained Mauritanian citizens.

However, the Mauritanian government denied any border violations. Government spokesperson El-Houssein Ould Emdeu stated: “Units of the Malian army were operating within their own territory and arrested this group while passing through the area.”

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday evening, Ould Emdeu clarified that the village entered by the Malian army and Wagner forces “belongs to Mali.” He added that “communications between the Mauritanian and Malian military authorities resulted in the release of the detainees.”

The Mauritanian army issued a press statement regarding the incident, describing reports in local media and on social networks about a border incursion as “false and misleading information.” It stated: “No one will be allowed to violate our borders.”

The statement clarified that “a Malian military unit reached the village of Al-Aghdaf, located within Malian territory,” and stressed that “Malian forces never reached the border line between the two countries.”

The Mauritanian army also noted that the Malian military detained 18 individuals in the areas it passed through, releasing them later following field communications between relevant authorities in Mauritania and Mali.

The statement concluded by reassuring citizens that Mauritanian military units stationed along the border “will not permit any violations of the country’s territorial integrity.”