2011 Nouakchott bombing plot

Plan to bomb the French Embassy in Mauritania 2011 Nouakchott bombing plot the Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present) Central mosque in Nouakchott.jpg Nouakchott Nouakchott, Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and the Embassy of France February 1–2, 2011 Suicide bombing truck bomb 1 gendarme, 3 perpetrators 9 al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) 18 05 07 N 15 58 21 W source:wikidata title In early February 2011, operatives from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) attempted a coordinated attack in the capital city of Nouakchott. The plot involved three vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and aimed to assassinate President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz as well as bomb the French Embassy. Background In the years leading up to the plot, Mauritania faced a rise in terrorist activity, including killings and kidnappings. In response, the government conducted raids against AQIM bases in Mali.How has Mauritania managed to stave off terror attacks? https://issafrica.org/iss-today/how-has-mauritania-managed-to-stave-off-terror-attacks ISS Today Hassane Koné 6 December 2019 24 March 2026 25 March 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260325190746/https://issafrica.org/iss-today/how-has-mauritania-managed-to-stave-off-terror-attacks live The planned attack would have been the third suicide bombing in the country's history, following the 2009 Nouakchott suicide bombingSuicide bomber injures two at gates of French embassy http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/116/article_4690.asp Radio France International 9 August 2009 24 March 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20090813220139/http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/116/article_4690.asp 13 August 2009 live targeting the French Embassy and the 2010 Néma suicide bombing on a military barracks.Attacker attempts to blow up Mauritian barracks https://abc7chicago.com/archive/7628175 Eyewitness News 25 August 2010 24 March 2026 2 April 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260402100109/https://abc7chicago.com/archive/7628175/ live Planning According to the testimony of Saleck Ould Cheikh Mohamedou, the attack was planned over four months. The group prepared two explosive-laden vehicles and kept backup cars in reserve. The first vehicle, carrying about 1.5 tons of explosives, was intended to target the Ministry of Defense and nearby police headquarters, while the second was aimed at the French Embassy. The cell consisted of eight members, including six Mauritanians, one Algerian, and one from Guinea-Bissau. They traveled from the Tigharghar Mountain through Sélibabi toward the capital, using three vehicles in total.Le plan des attentats programmés révélé par des éléments terroristes The planned attacks revealed by terrorist elements https://ami.mr/fr/Depeche-12396.html Agence Mauritanienne d’Information 9 February 2011 24 March 2026 fr 18 April 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260418065650/https://ami.mr/fr/Depeche-12396.html live Mohamedou denied that the plot aimed to assassinate Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, contradicting claims made by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.A Threat From Prison? A Look at AQIM Mauritanian Operative Saleck Ould Cheikh Mohamedou https://jamestown.org/threat-prison-look-aqim-mauritanian-operative-saleck-ould-cheikh-mohamedou/ Jamestown 3 February 2017 24 March 2026 Interceptions On 28 January, three explosive-laden Toyota Land Cruisers entered Mauritania from northern Mali, and security forces began tracking them immediately.Mauritanian army foils Qaeda attempt on president https://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011%2F02%2F02%2F136028 Al Arabiya 2 February 2011 24 March 2026 2 April 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260402035828/https://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011%2F02%2F02%2F136028 live On 1 February, the first vehicle was intercepted near R' Kiz about 200 km south of Nouakchott. It contained around 1.2 tons of explosives and related materials. One suspect was captured, while two others escaped.Country Reports on Terrorism 2011 - Mauritania https://www.refworld.org/reference/annualreport/usdos/2012/87817 United States Department of State 31 July 2012 24 March 2026Attentat manqué à Nouakchott : Aqmi voulait " assassiner " le président Ould Abdelaziz Failed attack in Nouakchott: AQIM wanted to “assassinate” President Ould Abdelaziz https://www.jeuneafrique.com/182561/politique/attentat-manqu-nouakchott-aqmi-voulait-assassiner-le-pr-sident-ould-abdelaziz/ Jeune Afrique 2 February 2011 24 March 2026 fr 24 October 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20251024083123/https://www.jeuneafrique.com/182561/politique/attentat-manqu-nouakchott-aqmi-voulait-assassiner-le-pr-sident-ould-abdelaziz/ live In the early hours of 2 February, a second vehicle was stopped in the Riyad district, about 12 kilometers from the city center. When troops engaged it, the explosives detonated, killing three attackers and injuring nine soldiers.Mauritania: 'Al-Qaeda men die' as troops fire on car https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-12344931 BBC 2 February 2011 24 March 2026 30 May 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240530154804/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-12344931 live The third vehicle was later reported to have fled the scene, and authorities launched a pursuit operation to track it down.نواكشوط تبحث عن سيارة ثالثة شاركت في عملية "القاعدة" Nouakchott is searching for a third vehicle involved in the “al-Qaeda” operation https://www.alkhaleej.ae/2011-02-04/%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B7-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9 Al Khaleej 4 February 2011 24 March 2026 ar On 5 February, the military captured one of the two suspects who had escaped from the first vehicle after a three-day search operation in a forest near the Senegal River in southern Mauritania. The second suspect reportedly detonated himself during the operation. The fugitives had killed a gendarme before fleeing into the forest.الجيش يعتقل أحد المسلحين ..والآخر يفجر نفسه The army arrests one of the armed men, while the other blows himself up https://essirage.net/archive/index.php/news-and-reports/1708-2011-02-05-18-10-11.html essirage.net 5 February 2011 24 March 2026 ar 2 April 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260402122257/https://essirage.net/archive/index.php/news-and-reports/1708-2011-02-05-18-10-11.html live References Category:Suicide bombings in 2011 Category:Terrorism deaths in Mauritania Category:Terrorist incidents in Africa in 2011 Category:Suicide bombings in Mauritania Category:Terrorist incidents attributed to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Category:February 2011 in Africa Category:2011 in Mauritania Category:Suicide car and truck bombings in Africa Category:Failed terrorist attempts in Africa