Algerian Military Accused of Targeting Civilians in Deadly Attack on Gold Miners

Monday 25 November 2024 - 09:16

Four Killed and One Injured as Algeria Faces Increasing Criticism Over Violence Against Civilians

In a tragic incident last Thursday, the Algerian military killed four gold miners, identified as Mauritanians and Sahrawis, and severely injured another in the remote region of "Al-Kouizi" within Algerian territory. Reports suggest that Algerian forces confiscated the miners' equipment and vehicles during the attack. Neither Mauritanian media nor the Polisario Front, a separatist group in the region, has issued any statements regarding the event.

This is not an isolated occurrence. In May, nine gold miners were killed by an Algerian drone near Tindouf, and in April, three Sahrawi miners suffered the same fate near the "Dakhla" camp in Tindouf. Disturbingly, in October 2020, two Sahrawi miners were reportedly burned alive in a pit by Algerian soldiers. These repeated attacks have sparked outrage among Sahrawi rights groups and activists.

The Sahrawi Rights Forum (FORSATIN) condemned the killings, describing them as "massacres" and accusing Algeria of systematically targeting civilians. The group also criticized international bodies, including the United Nations, for failing to address the escalating violence in Tindouf and for allegedly siding with Algeria and the Polisario Front. Activists continue to demand independent investigations into these atrocities, but Algerian authorities have remained silent, allowing the violence to persist.

The victims of these attacks are often young men driven by desperation to search for gold as a means to escape poverty. Many reside in the impoverished Tindouf camps, where they face dire living conditions, limited employment opportunities, and inadequate humanitarian assistance. These individuals find themselves trapped between the harsh rule of the Polisario Front and the deadly aggression of the Algerian military.

As international organizations maintain their silence, the cries for justice and accountability from the Sahrawi people grow louder. Families mourn the loss of loved ones, and survivors live in constant fear, highlighting the urgent need for global attention and intervention to address this ongoing humanitarian crisis.