420 Chapter 4
MID#3953
Dispute Number: 3953
Date(s): October 1989 to July 1990
Participants: 433 Senegal/435 Mauritania
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: The southern lands in Mauritania and the border region across the Senegal
River into Senegal were predominately farmed by black Africans from both countries.
As the need for water rose in the northern (Arab-dominated) part of Mauritania, Arab
nomads began migrating south and competing for water resources and land access. In
April 1989, this competition escalated to violence, creating hundreds of thousands of
refugees from Mauritania into Senegal. Diplomatic relations between the two coun-
tries became strained as a result of the border issue and were severed in August 1989.
Military confrontations along the border broke out in October 1989 with reports of
firing and shelling across the river that killed a number of Mauritanian soldiers. There
were frequent incursions into Mauritanian territory from Senegal during this time
period, but these incursions appeared to have been mainly attributed to individuals
or organized political opposition movements. Both sides increased their military pre-
paredness in November, and heavier fighting along the border was reported in January
- Diplomatic talks completely stalled by July 1990, while border firings were
taking place on an almost daily basis.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from November 15, 1989. End Date changed
from April 16, 1990.
433 Senegal/645 Iraq
MID#3957
Started in May 1990. See the narrative in the 645 Iraq/690 Kuwait dyad dispute list.
434 Benin/436 Niger
MID#1407
Dispute Number: 1407
Date(s): December 27, 1963 to March 1964
Participants: 434 Benin/436 Niger
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side A (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Claiming that Dahomey (now, Benin) was preparing to occupy a disputed
island on the Niger River, the Niger government decided to expel all its nationals
from Niger. In response, Benin closed all road and rail links between the countries and
blocked all goods coming into Niger (a landlocked country) from the port of Cotonou.
Both countries negotiated an agreement to allow Dahomey citizens to remain in Niger
and lift the blockade.