String of forts in W. Sahara.

[ag05]

I was checking tou Google Earth and I found this string of forts in Western Sahara. They start at the cost and extend at least 150 mile inland. There's a fort every couple of miles or so, and they're connected by a berm/wall. Anybody know what they could be?

I've attached a photo of the string, as well as a closeup of the third for in from the coast.

[OldRecon]

I was checking tou Google Earth and I found this string of forts in Western Sahara. They start at the cost and extend at least 150 mile inland. There's a fort every couple of miles or so, and they're connected by a berm/wall. Anybody know what they could be?

I've attached a photo of the string, as well as a closeup of the third for in from the coast.

Either it's a defensive line made & manned by Mauretanian forces against Western Saharan Polisario guerillas, or it's a defensive line made & manned by Polisario guerillas against Mauretanian forces. Of the two alternatives it's most probably a Mauretanian defence line, though well inside the Western Saharan border.

[mas-36]

OldRecon is correct: These are located in Mauretania. I've managed to follow the line over halfway across the country. Some of those berms/walls are pretty straight! The desert has reclaimed the land over a few of them. if you look closely, you can see where one or two wells were dug to supply the fort with water.

A quick search on wikipedia reveales that the wall was built by Marocco in the mid 1980s (Maroccan Wall) to keep the Polisario rebels out of Southern Marocco.

Darn, and I thought these were old and worthy of an archaelogical expedition. :-(

[OldRecon]

OldRecon is correct: These are located in Mauretania. I've managed to follow the line over halfway across the country. Some of those berms/walls are pretty straight! The desert has reclaimed the land over a few of them. if you look closely, you can see where one or two wells were dug to supply the fort with water.

A quick search on wikipedia reveales that the wall was built by Marocco in the mid 1980s (Maroccan Wall) to keep the Polisario rebels out of Southern Marocco.

Darn, and I thought these were old and worthy of an archaelogical expedition. :-(

Well not completely correct :lol: admittedly, as the defence line is Moroccan.
Appears like Morocco occupies 2/3rds of Western Sahara and that the line was built to keep Polisario within the 1/3rd of the territory that's not occupied by Morocco.