Mauritania police break up anti-coup rally

NOUAKCHOTT  - Mauritanian police on Thursday broke up a protest by hundreds of people against an army coup in the West African nation which has been internationally condemned despite a junta promise to hold new elections.

The European Union called for the release of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, the country’s first democratically elected leader, and his Prime Minister who were detained after the army takeover on Wednesday.

The Arab League and African Union each expressed concern and sent missions to Nouakchott, where a top official in Abdallahi’s party said police fired tear-gas to end the rally in support of the president. “We wanted to organise a peaceful demonstration, our protesters were only armed with slogans and portraits of the President. The police stopped us by firing tear-gas,” party Secretary-General Muhammad Mahmoud Ould Dahmane said. One woman was injured during the protest in the capital, he added.

Earlier, around 1,000 people also marched through the capital in support of coup leader General Muhammad Ould Abdel Aziz, who seized control hours after being sacked as head of the presidential guard.