As thousands of Malians are fleeing terror and fighting in their home country, women and girls often have to deal with the added trauma of sexual violence.
In Mauritania's desert camps, refugees who have fled brutal infighting in Mali bring with them many traumatic memories.
A 14-year-old girl is in critical condition after what her family says was a brutal assault carried out by members of the Africa Corps. The Russian unit has replaced the Wagner Group and now supports Mali's military against jihadist insurgents.
Doctors Without Borders suspects that there are more victims of sexual violence who remain silent.
*Many of those fleeing Mali will stay in refugee camps within the region. However, the number of displaced people there, along with continuing insecurity and poverty in both Mali and Mauritania, means that some may attempt onward journeys along migrant routes towards Europe.
The kinds of trauma experienced by the girl in this video are similar to the violence that many women face on various migration routes towards Europe. Some of these women travel through the Sahel region before eventually reaching departure points in North or West Africa.
According to the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR data, last updated at the end of October this year, there are more than 170,000 refugees in Mauritania. "The security situation in central and northern Mali remains fragile and unpredictable, continuing to drive displacement toward Mauritania," states a UNHCR press release for the region. Since October 24, an additional 6,223 people have fled Mali for Mauritania.
In a statement on December 16, UNHCR added: "Women and children once again constitute the majority of new arrivals. Protection needs remain acute. 12 percent of children are unaccompanied or separated reflecting fragmented flight strategies in which families prioritize the movement of their children and most vulnerable families. However, the insecurity on the flight paths causes protection risks. Four percent of refugees report gender-based violence. As needs increase, protection services, and assistance in terms shelter, core relief items, and food are increasingly overstretched underscoring the urgent need for additional and flexible support to sustain the response."
In 2024, Mauritania became one of the main departure points for migrants hoping to reach the Spanish Canary Islands archipelago by boat across the Atlantic. However, since Spain and the EU concluded a series of deals with the Mauritanian authorities, the number of departures from Mauritania have reduced by 61 percent, according to data provided by the International Red Cross ICRC.
*Additional contextual information added by InfoMigrants December 19, 2025, in italics.
Author: Tomi Oladipo
First published: December 18, 2025
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