Sakaraha Explained

Official Name:Sakaraha
Mapsize:183px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Madagascar
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Atsimo-Andrefana
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Sakaraha
Population As Of:2018
Population Footnotes:Census
Population Total:31,183
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:620

Sakaraha is a rural municipality in Atsimo-Andrefana Region, south-western Madagascar. It has a population of 31,183 in 2018.

Geography

Sakaraha is situated along route nationale No. 7 (Tuléar-Fianarantsoa) at 134 km from Tuléar, 64 km from Andranovory and 84 km from Ilakaka.[1] It is situated at the Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park.

Economy

Mining: there are sapphires found in the town of Sakaraha.

Natural gas was discovered near Sakaraha by Madagascar Southern Petroleum Company (MSCP) in 2011.[2] There are also some oil deposits near Sakaraha but there is no commercial exploration.[3]

On 31 January 2007, Saudi terrorist Mohammed Jamal Khalifa was murdered by 25 to 30 armed men while visiting a gemstone mine he owned in Sakamilko, near the town of Sakaraha. He had recently called in local police to evict people who had been working the gem mine in his absence. Though all his belongings had been stolen there is some conjecture that the death was politically motivated.[4] [5] Khalifa's family came to believe that he was assassinated by operators from the Joint Special Operations Command.[6] [7]

References

-22.9167°N 44.5497°W

Notes and References

  1. Atlas Mondial, France Loisir, page 159
  2. L'express de Madagascar - 8 September 2011
  3. https://www.jacaranda.fr/en/economie-energie-serieux-indices-de-petrole-sakaraha (in French) Jacaranda.fr
  4. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php?article_id=46785 "Bin Laden brother-in-law shot dead in Madagascar" Philippine Daily Inquirer
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/saudi/story/0,,2024732,00.html "Gems, al-Qaida and Murder: Mystery over killing of Osama Bin Laden's friend" The Guardian World news section
  6. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php?article_id=46785 "Bin Laden brother-in-law shot dead in Madagascar" Philippine Daily Inquirer
  7. https://www.theguardian.com/saudi/story/0,,2024732,00.html "Gems, al-Qaida and Murder: Mystery over killing of Osama Bin Laden's friend" The Guardian World news section