Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Nouakchott raid

Nouakchott raid was a battle fought in 1976 at Nouakchott, in what is now Mauritania. It was part of the Western Sahara War, which ran from 1975 to 1991. Recorded strength: +400 under Ahmed Ould Bouceif against +500 (several hundred guerrillas).

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Fought1976
WhereNouakchott, Mauritania18.100N, 15.950W
OutcomeMauritanian victory; First president of SADR El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed killed; Polisario fighters were pushed back by Mauritanian army; Polisario failed overthrow of the regime of Moktar Ould Daddah
BelligerentsMauritaniaagainstSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Polisario Front
Casualties and losses4 killed, +10 injuredand100–200 killed
Part ofWestern Sahara War1975 to 1991

Where it sits in the Western Sahara War

Battles of La Güera and Tichla, 1975Battle of Zouérat, 1975Battle of Ain Ben Tili, 1976First Battle of Amgala, 1976Second Battle of Amgala, 1976Nouakchott raid, 1976Battle of Zouérat, 1977Battle of Bucraa, 1977Nouakchott raid (1977), 1977Battle of Zouérat, 1977Opération Lamantin, 1977Battle of Tan-Tan, 1979Battle of Tichla, 1979Battle of Bir Anzarane, 1979Battle of Smara, 1979Battle of Al Mahbes, 1979Battle of Bucraa, 1979Siege of Zag, 1979Battle of Akka, 1980Battle of Cape Boujdour, 1980Battle of Gueltat Zemmour, 1980Battle of Gueltat Zemmour, 1981Battle of Smara, 1981Battle of Guelta Zemmur, 1981Smara and Bou Craa attacks, 1982Battle of Lemseied, 1983Battle of Smara, 1983Battle of Z'Moul Niran, 1984Battle of Hausa (1984), 1984Battle of Al Mahbes, 1985Battle of Farsia, 1987Battle of Tichla, 1987Battles of Farsia and Oum Dreyga, 1987Haouza attack, 1988Battle of Oum Dreyga, 1988Battle of Guelta Zemmour, 1989Battle of Hausa, 1989Battle of Amgala, 19891991 Tifariti offensive, 199119751991Nouakchott raid, 1976
39 placed engagements of the Western Sahara War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1976 (year precision)
to 1976
PlaceNouakchott, Mauritania
18.100N, 15.950W
KindBattle, Cold War
Strength+400 under Ahmed Ould Bouceif+500 (several hundred guerrillas)
Casualties and losses4 killed, +10 injured100–200 killed
Commanders
  • Moktar Ould Daddah
  • Ahmed Ould Bouceif
  • Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
  • El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed
Nouakchott raidNouakchott raidNouakchott raid (1977)Nouakchott raid (1977)Boutilimit100 km18.100N, 15.950W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1976

Nouakchott raid is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 12 in present-day Mauritania.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q86674157, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Nouakchott raid (1976), revision 1377411476, read 2026-11-15, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.