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| Troops stage coup in Mauritania | Troops stage coup in Mauritania |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Troops in Mauritania have overthrown the country's first freely-elected leader and say they have formed a state council to rule the country. | Troops in Mauritania have overthrown the country's first freely-elected leader and say they have formed a state council to rule the country. |
| President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was held after he tried to dismiss the military's top commanders. | President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was held after he tried to dismiss the military's top commanders. |
| Troops are out on the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, where tear gas was fired at about 50 protesters. | Troops are out on the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, where tear gas was fired at about 50 protesters. |
| President Abdallahi came to power in free and fair polls last year, taking over from a military junta. | President Abdallahi came to power in free and fair polls last year, taking over from a military junta. |
| Troops rounded up the president - along with his Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Ouakef - apparently without needing to use force on Wednesday. | Troops rounded up the president - along with his Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Ouakef - apparently without needing to use force on Wednesday. |
| Earlier in the day, the president tried to dismiss four senior army officers, including the head of the presidential guard, Gen Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who responded by launching the coup. | Earlier in the day, the president tried to dismiss four senior army officers, including the head of the presidential guard, Gen Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who responded by launching the coup. |
| The country has been in the grip of a political crisis since a vote of no confidence in the cabinet two weeks ago. | The country has been in the grip of a political crisis since a vote of no confidence in the cabinet two weeks ago. |
| They arrested [President Abdallahi] and took him to the battalion base. It's a textbook coup d'etat Amal Mint Cheikh AbdallahiPresident's daughter class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7545934.stm">What next for coup leaders? | |
| On Monday, 48 MPs walked out of the ruling party. | On Monday, 48 MPs walked out of the ruling party. |
| Reports suggest some of the generals orchestrated the mass resignation, our correspondent James Copnall says. | Reports suggest some of the generals orchestrated the mass resignation, our correspondent James Copnall says. |
| Nouakchott airport has been closed, security sources told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. | Nouakchott airport has been closed, security sources told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. |
| A journalist based in Nouakchott, Hamdi Ould Mohamed el-Hacen, told the BBC people had gathered on street corners to discuss the coup - in particular the fate of the president and prime minister. | |
| Unusual movements | Unusual movements |
| Culture Minister Abdellahi Salem Ould El-Mouallah read a statement on TV on behalf of the coup leaders announcing the presidential decree sacking the top army officers had been "annulled legally and practically". | Culture Minister Abdellahi Salem Ould El-Mouallah read a statement on TV on behalf of the coup leaders announcing the presidential decree sacking the top army officers had been "annulled legally and practically". |
| An army statement said the president was no longer in charge | |
| The first indications of a military coup came as state radio and television were taken off the air amid reports of unusual troop movements in Nouakchott. | The first indications of a military coup came as state radio and television were taken off the air amid reports of unusual troop movements in Nouakchott. |
| The president's daughter, Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi, said soldiers seized her father at his house at 0920 local time (0920 GMT). | The president's daughter, Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi, said soldiers seized her father at his house at 0920 local time (0920 GMT). |
| She raised the alarm in a phone call to a French radio station. | She raised the alarm in a phone call to a French radio station. |
| "They came here to find him," she told Radio France International. "They arrested him here and took him to the battalion base. It's a textbook coup d'etat." | "They came here to find him," she told Radio France International. "They arrested him here and took him to the battalion base. It's a textbook coup d'etat." |
| Political instability | Political instability |
| The African Union condemned the coup, demanded a return to constitutional government and said it was sending an envoy to Nouakchott immediately. | The African Union condemned the coup, demanded a return to constitutional government and said it was sending an envoy to Nouakchott immediately. |
| The governments of South Africa and Nigeria - both major players in the African Union - also criticised the military takeover. | The governments of South Africa and Nigeria - both major players in the African Union - also criticised the military takeover. |
| The US state department and the European Commission also decried the coup, with the commission warning it would suspend aid to Mauritania. | The US state department and the European Commission also decried the coup, with the commission warning it would suspend aid to Mauritania. |
| Mauritania has a long history of coups, with the military involved in nearly every government since its independence from France in 1960. | Mauritania has a long history of coups, with the military involved in nearly every government since its independence from France in 1960. |
| Presidential elections held in 2007 ended a two-year period of military rule - the product of a military coup in 2005. | Presidential elections held in 2007 ended a two-year period of military rule - the product of a military coup in 2005. |
| The elections were deemed to have been free and fair and appeared to herald a new era of democracy. | The elections were deemed to have been free and fair and appeared to herald a new era of democracy. |
| Earlier this year, however, the president dismissed the government amid protests over soaring food prices. | Earlier this year, however, the president dismissed the government amid protests over soaring food prices. |
| The cabinet that replaced it has been dogged by instability, lacking the support of a moderate Islamist party and a major opposition group that were in the former government. | The cabinet that replaced it has been dogged by instability, lacking the support of a moderate Islamist party and a major opposition group that were in the former government. |
| Mauritania is one of the world's poorest nations as well as its newest oil producer. | Mauritania is one of the world's poorest nations as well as its newest oil producer. |
| The desert nation, a former French colony of more than three million people, has been looking to oil revenues to boost its economy. | The desert nation, a former French colony of more than three million people, has been looking to oil revenues to boost its economy. |
| Are you in Mauritania? Did you witness the coup? What are your experiences? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Mauritania? Did you witness the coup? What are your experiences? Send us your comments using the form below. |