More than 10,000 refugees have now been identified in south-eastern Mauritania following steady cross-border movements from Mali since 24 October 2025. Refugees are free to choose where they wish to settle and retain the option to relocate to a camp if they decide to do so. In practice, however, most prefer to remain in larger villages such as Kleive, Fassala and Aghor, while a smaller proportion settle in more remote localities closer to the border. In these localities, putting an increasing pressure on access to protection and the capacity of services within host communities.