Chegga
Cheggat | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 25°22′23.89″N 5°47′14.12″W / 25.3733028°N 5.7872556°W | |
Country | Mauritania |
Region | Tiris Zemmour |
Elevation | 400 m (1,200 ft) |
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 metres away from the fort, near a water source. [1] [2]
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. [1]
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. [3]