Ain Ben Tili (Foreign Legion Fort) Algeria Mauritania Mali Ain Ben Tili is a small town (very small) in northeast Mauritania, on the border with Western Sahara and Algeria. The fort is located about 4 km north of this town and was built in 1934, by orders of General Trinquet, as a means of controlling remnants of the Reguibat nomads who had been rebellious throughout the border region west of Tindouf for several years. The fort provided a base for long range French patrols consisting of Saharan camel (meharistes), motorized and cavalry troops of the Legion (particularly the motorized company of the 4th Legion Infantry Regiment) as the travelled between Tabelbala and Tindouf, Bou Bernous, Chegga, Agmar, Bir Moghrein and other points south and west. It was eventually turned over to Mauritania as French forces extricated themselves from their former North African colonies in the 1960’s. More recently the fort was the focus of a battle between POLISARIO (Saharawian rebels) and Mauritanian forces in 1976. The Saharawian forces surrounded the fort and put pressure on its defenders. In order to help out the defenders in dire straits Mauritanian President Ould Daddah requested combat planes from the allied Moroccan Air Force. However, not even the Air Force was able to bring relief to the fortress, moreover, one of the Moroccan Northrop F-5s was downed by the guerrillas. Finally, the fortress was captured by POLISARIO troops on 21 January. HOMMAGE Aux confins de la Mauritanie et du Maroc, se trouve le petit village Ain-Ben-Tili. Situé à l'extrême nord du pays contre la frontière avec le Sahara occidental, il se trouve à quelques kilomètres de Bir- Lahlou et à quelques heures de piste de la ville de Tindouf en Algérie. La région est quasi-désertique et la population est représentée par quelques dizaines de personnes. C'est le village le plus oublié de la république mauritanienne. Pourtant, à proximité de ce village, se trouve un souvenir de la présence française dans la région sous la forme d’un fort. Aussi étonnant que cela puisse paraître et malgré les années, ce fort, construit par la Légion, est en assez bon état. Mais le plus curieux est qu’à proximité du fort d'Ain Bentili repose également... un légionnaire, le brigadier Tison (08/09/1891 - 19/121931) du 1er R.E.C. Seule, perdue au milieu de nul part, la tombe se dégradait lentement au rythme des tempêtes de sables jusqu’à l’arrivée de la Minurso, la mission de l’ONU pour le Sahara occidental. Depuis le début des années 1990, ce sont les officiers français qui se succèdent au “Team-Site de Bir-Lahlou” qui s'emploient à entretenir cette tombe. Qu’ils en soient ici remerciés ! “Sur sa tombe, une simple croix s'élève, Sur laquelle ces seuls mots sont inscrits : Il a servi honnête et fidèle Au Premier Etranger de Cavalerie.” JML GOOGLE TRANSLATION: The borders of Mauritania and Morocco, lies the small village Ain Ben Tili. Located in the far north the country against the border with Western Sahara, it is a few miles from Bir-Lahlou and a few hours of track in the town of Tindouf in Algeria. The area is almost deserted and the population is represented by a few dozen people. It is the largest settlement missed the Republic of Mauritania. However, near this village, is a souvenir of the French presence in the region under the form of a fort. Surprising as it may seem and despite the years, this fort, built by Legion is in pretty good condition. But the most curious is that the fort is Ben til Ain Also ... a legionnaire, Brig Tison (08/09/1891 - 19/121931) 1 REC Only lost in the middle of nowhere, the tomb was deteriorating slowly at a rate of up to sandstorms the arrival of MINURSO, the UN mission for Western Sahara. Since the early 1990, it was the French officers who follow the "Team-Site Bir Lahlou" working to maintain the grave. They are grateful! On his grave, a simple cross rises On which these words are inscribed: He served honestly and faithfully 1st Legion Cavalry Regiment Ain Ben Tili 25° 59' 40.35" N 9° 33' 12.19" W N N N N N N Our Friends Beneath the Sands. Illustration 82 .