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| Coup demonstrations in Mauritania | Coup demonstrations in Mauritania |
| (4 days later) | |
| Demonstrations have been taking place in Mauritania both for and against the coup that overthrew the country's first democratically elected president. | Demonstrations have been taking place in Mauritania both for and against the coup that overthrew the country's first democratically elected president. |
| Police in the capital, Nouakchott, broke up a protest by hundreds of people against the coup leader, General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz. | Police in the capital, Nouakchott, broke up a protest by hundreds of people against the coup leader, General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz. |
| Earlier, about 1,000 people had marched through the capital chanting the general's name. | Earlier, about 1,000 people had marched through the capital chanting the general's name. |
| The African Union has demanded the president's release. | The African Union has demanded the president's release. |
| President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was detained by renegade soldiers on Wednesday after he tried to dismiss four senior army officers - including Mr Abdelaziz, the head of the presidential guard. | President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was detained by renegade soldiers on Wednesday after he tried to dismiss four senior army officers - including Mr Abdelaziz, the head of the presidential guard. |
| I'm very worried about his health and his security Amal Cheikh AbdallahiPresident's daughter 'I fear for my father, the president'What next for coup leaders? | I'm very worried about his health and his security Amal Cheikh AbdallahiPresident's daughter 'I fear for my father, the president'What next for coup leaders? |
| Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Waqef - who the coup leaders had also detained - was reported to have been taken to a barracks near the presidency. | |
| The whereabouts of the president are still unclear. | The whereabouts of the president are still unclear. |
| His daughter, Amal Cheikh Abdallahi, said she did not know where her father was. | His daughter, Amal Cheikh Abdallahi, said she did not know where her father was. |
| "I'm very worried about his health and his security," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. | "I'm very worried about his health and his security," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. |
| "He doesn't have the right to move or to call. He doesn't have a phone. He doesn't have liberty," she said. | "He doesn't have the right to move or to call. He doesn't have a phone. He doesn't have liberty," she said. |
| Meanwhile, the country's new military council said in a statement that elections would be held as soon as possible and would be "free and transparent". | Meanwhile, the country's new military council said in a statement that elections would be held as soon as possible and would be "free and transparent". |
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| Supporters of the coup march through Nouakchott | Supporters of the coup march through Nouakchott |
| The council said it would "supervise the holding of presidential elections enabling the relaunch of the democratic process in the country". | The council said it would "supervise the holding of presidential elections enabling the relaunch of the democratic process in the country". |
| It added that the council would "engage in a dialogue with all the political parties and all civic institutions in organizing these elections". | It added that the council would "engage in a dialogue with all the political parties and all civic institutions in organizing these elections". |
| Turbulent history | Turbulent history |
| One MP who supported the coup said the military council would govern for six months before staging polls. | One MP who supported the coup said the military council would govern for six months before staging polls. |
| 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. |
| Wednesday's coup drew widespread condemnation from the international community, with the EU saying it could suspend aid to Mauritania. | Wednesday's coup drew widespread condemnation from the international community, with the EU saying it could suspend aid to Mauritania. |
| But in Mauritania itself, many MPs and political parties have expressed support for the military intervention, saying the civilian government had lost its way. | But in Mauritania itself, many MPs and political parties have expressed support for the military intervention, saying the civilian government had lost its way. |
| An opposition leader, Mohammed Sidi Ali Francois, told the BBC that the coup was regrettable but justified. | An opposition leader, Mohammed Sidi Ali Francois, told the BBC that the coup was regrettable but justified. |
| "I know absolutely we just had those elections," he said. | "I know absolutely we just had those elections," he said. |
| "A lot of money was spent and people invested a lot of time, but you know there are some situations when something has to happen and we have to make sacrifices." | "A lot of money was spent and people invested a lot of time, but you know there are some situations when something has to happen and we have to make sacrifices." |