Opération Lamantin
French military intervention / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Opération Lamantin?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Opération Lamantin (French for manatee) was a December 1977 – July 1978 military intervention by France on the behalf of the Mauritanian government, in its war against Sahrawi guerrilla fighters of the Polisario Front, seeking independence for Western Sahara. Airstrikes were launched in the provinces with the aim of stopping separatist raids in the rail route from the iron mines in Zouérat to the coast of Nouadhibou (the Mauritania Railway), and pushing them to release French hostages. France used Jaguar combat aircraft from Dakar Airbase. The bombings targeted areas around the railway, which was constantly raided by Polisario. The mission ended with the release of the hostages and the halt of Polisario's attacks on ore cargo.
Opération Lamantin | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Western Sahara War | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Belligerents | |||||||||
France Mauritania | Polisario Front | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Giscard d'Estaing Moktar Ould Daddah | Unknown |
However the disastrous performance in the war was a major reason for the Mauritanian armed forces to overthrow Moktar Ould Daddah, the President of Mauritania in 1979 and an immediate cease-fire with the Polisario. Mauritania subsequently pulled out of Western Sahara in 1979 and mended relations with their Sahrawi neighbours and went on to recognize them in 1984. The french air campaign halted the Polisario attacks on ore cargos and obtained the release of their citizens from captivity.