Al Qaeda presence on Mauritanian border

Mauritanian security sources have revealed that elements from Al Qaeda in the Maghreb have returned to Ghaba and Aghadoe on the Mauritanian border. Severe battles took place between Al Qaeda and the Mauritanian army in the same location last month. A military base was destroyed. The same sources said that many civilians fled the area during the clashes between Al Qaeda and the Mauritanian and Malian armies. There are concerns that the high-grade weapons used by Al Qaeda in the clashes had been obtained from weapons warehouses in Libya. Locals noticed the terrorist group gathering in Ghaba about 20 days ago. Mauritanian sources said that 17 Al Qaeda cars arrived in Ghaba and Aghadoe on Thursday from Niger, but later disappeared.