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Hodh Ech Chargui (or Hodh el Sharqui) is estimated to be the most populous of Mauritania's regions (outside of the city of Nouakchott. Estimates in 2008 were 200,000 people living in Hodh ech Chargui. The region sees many travelers going through to Mali, either south through Bassikenou to Bamako or east to Timbuktu. The major population centers are far-spread and many people fall under the poverty level, making it easy for extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) to infiltrate and work.
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