The coup, condemned by the European Union and the United States, was the
second in Mauritania since 2005. Abdallahi came into power in a military
coup, and in 2007 held and won a presidential election. Over the last two
months, the president came under heavy criticism, and on Aug. 4, 48
parliamentarians of Abdallahi's ruling party defected.
A presidential spokesman, Abdoulaye Mamadouba, said the coup was sparked
by the government's dismissal of four leading commanders, including Chief of
Staff Gen. Ould Sheik Mohammed Ahmed. Mamadouba said Abdallahi was being
held by soldiers at the presidential palace in Nouakchott.
Coup organizers said an 11-member council, headed by former Presidential
Guard commander Gen. Mohammed Ould Abdul Aziz, would govern Mauritania. The
council pledged to convene national elections.
"It will take the necessary measures to guarantee the continuity of the
state and to get together with institutions, political forces and civil
society to supervise the holding of presidential elections enabling the
relaunch of the democratic process in the country and to reshape it on a
perennial basis," the council said in a statement. "These elections, which
will be held in the shortest possible period, will be free and transparent
and will bring for the future a continued and harmonious functioning of all
the constitutional powers."
The military takeover came amid Mauritania's battle against Al Qaida. Al
Qaida launched attacks throughout the country in late 2007 and early 2008.
The 70-year-old Abdallahi, with help from France and the United States,
had sought to modernize the military. French contractors were assigned the
task of protecting major army bases against Al Qaida attack.
So far, the military has taken control of Nouakchott and shut down state
radio and television. There were no reports of clashes.
