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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Chegga

Chegga is an abandoned fort in the very northeastern part of Mauritania, close to the borders with Algeria and Mali. It has been a caravan stop for centuries. There are neolithic rock carvings in the oued 500 meters away from the fort, near a water source.

Chegga consists of a mosque and a military fort. It was built by the French Foreign Legion and taken over by the Army of Mauritania after independence.

A view of artisanal mining near Chegga

In 2019, president Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, opened the surrounding military exclusion zone to prospecting on a limited basis, although technically foreigners can still be shot on sight. Chegga has since become a center of artisanal gold mining by Mauritanians and Malians using hand tools.

An artisanal miner working in a mine near Chegga

References

  1. ^ "de Vries". Retrieved 2 December 2018. Hein and Wil de Vries' travel report
  2. ^ Puigaudeau, Odette du; Sénones, Marion (1939). "Gravures rupestres du Hank (Sahara Marocain)". Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique de France (in French). 36 (11). JSTOR 27912955.
  3. ^ McMakin, Wilson (7 July 2023). "Artisanal Miners on Shaky Ground in Mauritania". Inkstick. Retrieved 10 July 2023.