Page "History of Western Sahara" Paragraph 17

The Arabized Berber tribes controlled key oasis settlements of the Sahara and played an important role in the trans-Saharan slave trade.

They already used to impose heavy taxation on any traffic through their lands, while also furnishing protection, supplies, and camels.

When trans-Saharan trade intensified, they developed departure and arrival centers with slave depots and intermediary secure caravan stops.

In these centers, they oversaw the traffic from sub-Saharan regions to Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

Timbuktu ( Mali ) was a central crossroad to all four routes.

Ouadane, Idjil ( near Atar ), Azougui, Araouane, Taoudenni and later Tindouf were important stopping-places.

At the same time the number of slaves kept in Western Sahara itself increased drastically.