Mauritania: The Jihadi-Free Exception

The contrast with neighbouring Mali is huge. There, war between Tuareg rebels and the government has been raging for 12 years. Numerous jihadist groups profit from the chaos, and the porous border makes villages especially vulnerable to terror attacks from Mali. The presence of Russian mercenaries has even intensified the violence. Furthermore, the increasing drought is shrinking livestock and increasing food insecurity. 

To fend off jihadist influences, the Mauritanian government committed to dialogue. For instance, it launched the ‘Mourchidates’ project, in which spiritual women themselves visit radicalised Muslims in the working-class neighbourhoods of the capital Nouakchott. Through therapeutic sessions, they aim to teach them a more peaceful interpretation of Islam. But criticism of that approach is also heard. For instance, the government is said to have given Salafist preachers powerful posts in return. And due to huge unemployment and discrimination against certain ethnic groups, many young people remain susceptible to the lure of violence.