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30 Apr 2017
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Thanks Tim.I will try and investigate this later today/tomorrow.
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2 May 2017
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I have succeeded in sending a mail to Gendarmerie Royal so will now await a reply 
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4 May 2017
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Reporting
I have now reported the location to Gendarmerie Royale but so far have not heard back.
So,I have also reported to FCO in London asking them to follow up.
Will post any updates as I receive them.
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4 May 2017
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I didn't think there would be any land mines in Morocco proper. Do we know of other locations?
Is there a mine map for Morocco? Have some for Western Sahara but doesn't show anything in Morocco.
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4 May 2017
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Chris S notified me of this thread. I reported it today to the Gendarmerie Royale in Abteh. Looking at the thread they confirmed it is an anti tank mine and the location an old military camp. They were thankful, wrote down the coordinates and said they would take the necessary actions.
Cheers,
Raf
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5 May 2017
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Great news, Raf.
What I've found is that the satellite images in Google Maps and Google Earth are unsurprisingly the same, however Apple Maps are different images and often better quality—which is true in this case.
__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
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5 May 2017
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Hi,
In my opinion it’s not astonishing to find mines in this place.
I know the place and I was wondering that travelers went there. Although it looks interesting all elder and unused non-urban buildings, walls, tranches etc. there are most likely military infrastructure from the 1980’s. All those places in cap Juby Strip are candidates for UXO and forgotten Landmines. All military camps in WS are/were potentially saved by landmines – also new infrastructure near the demarcation line to Polisario held territory.
During the Western Sahara conflict there have been also struggles in the Cap Juby Strip (region south of Qued Draa). The today “border” between Morocco and by Morocco held Western Sahara is not the northern limit of the conflict zone.
Land mines are not scattered on open reg and serrir. They are always placed on strategical positions like military camps, wells, walls, passes or beside certain roads (i.e. N1 south of Dakhla down to Mauri border)). Also beaches in Western Sahara can be a problem (i.e. Cap de Cintra). I never understood why anybody put mines in the beaches, but they did so. Keeping on fresh tracks near these places avoids 90% of risk entering former/still mined areas with potentially still not detected land mines.
Dealing with any mine maps or GE marcs only helps to get an Idea where you should be careful, but never tells you where you are save. All parties in the conflict used land mines, but only a part of the mines where documented. The actual find is a good prove for that: Nobody remembered these mines and they could never appear in any map. The lesson learned is not only that there are mines in this place. It is about the type of place. The cap Juby Strip and WS is not “full of land mines” but south of Qued Draa there are many certain, typical places where you have to be aware of bad surprises.
My own mantra to enjoy hopefully save(er) traveling in WS without paranoia is:
Resist your own curiosity . Keep away from all “interesting” non-urban infrastructure (Building, old road, walls (berms), tranches etc.) which is not in use anymore (no fresh traces etc.). It is 95% military from the WS conflict and locals do not go there because they made bad experiences.
To reach civilian non-urban infrastructure (i.e. wells and their Pump house) approach on fresh tracks.
Although if any infrastructure is in use make sure that it is not military before you try to move closer without being sure to be on a fresh track and your appearance will not surprise somebody. If you are not sure: stop or do slow, show you. Military will recognize you as tourist and you will have no problem. Make sure not to be mistaken as somebody with bad or dubious intentions.
Have look how locals drive beside roads or tracks. In some areas nobody leaves the track for even 10cm (i.e. near M’Sied , Imlili or wells in Adrar Soutouf) . Be very attentive for tracks or roads blocked by stone rows or redjems. This shows that somebody made a bad experience in this place. So it is better to do it like the locals.
Regards
Wolfgang
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5 May 2017
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Raf,
A big thank you for taking the time to do this. I think we can look forward to a satisfactory close to an 'interesting' story.
Wolle thanks for you informative comments. We spent two days wondering around on the plains south of Msied which were being extensively grazed by large herds of bedou livestock.We entered the area via the main wadi track running south out of Msied.
According to Gandini,Msied was attacked by the Polisario during the conflict. Have you had any other information about mines in this area which is obviously deep inside Moroccan territory!
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8 May 2017
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Hello Tony,
Sorry for my late reply.
In the triangle Assa, Abetth, Smara had been struggles and all parties used anti-personal and anti-tank mines. The wadi south of M’Sied you crossed is known to be critical. You will have recognized that the locals keep strictly the track with their vehicles.
Archeologists working since years in this area confirmed me that they found different types of mines in several places. Sometimes beside wells, passes or near former military positions (a lot of those between M’Sied and Hamza) but also in wadis, because mines can be washed away and be buried in the sand. These Archeologists always stay on recently used tracks with their vehicles and walk around carefully.
The problem are not the known mines, they can and will be disarmed. The problem are the unknown ones.
That’s also the reason why Gandini gives the general advices to stay on the tracks in this region instead of trying to name certain places of findings. It would give a trappy illusion of security.
In fact in the whole area is a certain remaining risk to get in touch with this nasty stuff. Surely less on the plains but more in the wadis. But it is always more than zero risk.
As Gandini assumes, most of anti-personals may be hit by animals, because there are always herds. But with the car the bedou will drive mostly on the same tracks, because anti-tank mines are not “disarmed” by the cattle.
There are several areas in WS where free driving is no problem, but in this region I prefer to avoid it, even if I only look for a place to bivouac.
Regards
Wolfgang
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8 May 2017
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Assa? So anywhere south of the Draa would be unsafe? Is there a definite outline for the minefields?
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8 May 2017
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Hello priffe,
For example Jebel Ouarkziz south off Assa is not be considered as 100% clean.
I think defined minefields have mostly been near the berms.
But landmines had also been put on certain places or roads. Like the ones tony found in the “camp”. They can have been put anywhere as trap or to block a pass. Some few or even single mines here and there. But it was not proper documented. That’s the problem. The area is not “full of mines” but some are still there although Morocco did and does a lot to clean suspect Areas.
Mine Action | Reports | Monitor
regards
Wolfgang
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11 May 2017
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11 May 2017
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Some of the locations are not exact, the one pinned on Layyoune took place elsewhere, it says location unknown. Otherwise it would be downright scary - I've been bushcamping around Layyoune quite a bit. Sneak behind dune, think you are all alone, out of nowhere there's a military walking up to the campfire. They are everywhere. They rarely speak anything but Arabic, so I never knew what they were saying, but tried to follow their directions as best I could.
Probably they were saying "you're camping in a minefield!".
I like to take the old coastal road from Tarfaya to Layyoune. They would only let me camp on the east side of that road. I think I know why now.
Several incidents in Akka region, two in 2015. That's northeast of Assa, on the same latitude as Sidi Ifni. The northernmost 100 kms E of Tiznit. Who knew?
Last edited by priffe; 12 May 2017 at 20:38.
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12 May 2017
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The old saying was treat dummy as live... It certainly has judging by the photo the appearance of a mine , therefore it should b treated as such . I am a number of years out if date re what is current but I would certainly press the authorities re this issue . Best of luck
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