Following ethnic clashes in Mauritania and Senegal in April, the ICRC sent delegates to both countries.

Initially, with the situation still unclear, the delegates carried out complete surveys on both sides of the border to ascertain medical needs and endeavoured to repatriate the injured and sick from Senegal to Mauritania and vice versa. At the same time they worked together with the two National Societies to set up a tracing network to meet the needs of tens of thousands of people who had crossed from one country to the other, often at night and in great haste. In addition, delegates visited Mauritanian and Senegalese prisons to provide protection for foreigners detained there.