2023 Nouakchott prison break | |||||||
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Part of Islamist insurgency in the Sahel | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
Unknown | 4 prisoners | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 killed[1][2] 2 injured[1] |
3 killed[3] 1 detained[3] |
The 2023 Nouakchott prison break was the result of a prison riot in the Nouakchott Civil Prison, the central prison of Mauritania. Four AQMI members managed to escape from the Nouakchott civil prison, leading to Nouakchott enter a high-alert situation for the next days.
At 21:00 local time (GMT) a mutiny occurred at the Nouakchott Civil Prison, located in the Tevragh Zeina district of the city. During the mutiny two guards were killed and two others were injured as the mutiny was later revealed to be a prison break operation organised by Salafist convicts condemned for terrorism and belonging to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), who were able to use fireguns after seizing one from the guards.[1][4]
The Gendarmerie Nationale proceeded to clear and restrict access to key buildings in downtown Nouakchott, including the Central Bank, the National Assembly and Radio Mauritanie,[5] while the Armed Forces restricted access to major streets of the capital and the Presidential Palace.[6] President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was not in the country, as he was touring the Gulf Countries.[7][8]
At 23:00, news agencies confirmed that at least two Salafist prisoners managed to escape the prison following a confrontation with the guards who supervise the prison, with two being wounded. It was also confirmed that the Army deployed forces in the vicinity of the prison and government buildings, while the Presidential Guard forces surrounded the vicinity of the Presidential Palace.[9] Major military leaders also arrived to the prison shortly after.[10]
The number of fugitives was at first reported to be two, with it later increasing to three[11] and finally four after a statement from the Ministry of Interior, which confirmed that the authorities retook control of the prison and asked for citizens' cooperation in tracking down the fugitives.[12]
The Minister of National Defence, Hanana Ould Sidi, chaired a security meeting with top military leaders, including the chiefs of staff, which elaborated a plan to track down the fugitive terrorists.[14]
A car with one of its wheels broken allegedly used by the fugitive terrorists was found by security forces at around 23:30 in the El Mouqawama crossroad in the Dar Naïm suburb in north-eastern Nouakchott, with it containing a piece of a weapon inside. The Police and National Guard immediately cordoned off the location while waiting for the public prosecutor to arrive for its inspection.[19]
On 6 March 2023 the Gendarmerie opened fire at a car near the bridge connecting the Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport to the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road at around 8 am.[20] Security forces later raided a house in Dar Naïm at the evening and detained two individuals.[21]
The country's borders were reinforced, especially in the southern border posts of Rosso and Diama. Security checks were increased, with ID controls and checks being done to all crossers, leading to a significantly slower border.[22]
The Lycée Français Théodore Monod suspended its classes and cancelled a school trip to Adrar due to orders from the French embassy, with the school expecting to re-open its doors on Tuesday 7 March.[23][24][25]
The American International School of Nouakchott was also closed on 6 March 2023 due to orders from the US embassy.[26]
A major national internet disruption to mobile data services happened shortly after,[27] starting on 6 March at 10 am[28] and with fixed internet connections not being affected.[29] The disruption was observed by NetBlocks.[28][30] According to Nasser Weddady, the disruption was voluntarily done by the three mobile operators of the country and it at first only covered the city of Nouakchott,[31] although it later extended to the rest of the country.[32] Weddady suggested that this disruption did three things: it made it harder to communicate on encrypted messaging apps and to transfer money using mobile banking apps (but not impossible as some allow transfers on GSM) and it helped the government control the media narrative.[33]
Mobile internet access was restored six days later.[34][35]
A funeral for the two dead guards was held on the next morning at the Ibn Abass Mosque of Nouakchott, located just next to the prison.[36]
The Ministers of Justice, Defence and Interior visited the other two injured guards, with the ministers also meeting with a number of family members of the two guards that were killed.[37]