Military movements and heavy artillery fighting were reported Sunday at the Mauritanian president’s palace in the capital city of Nouakchott.
Witnesses told Reuters that insurgents stormed into the president’s palace. Earlier, government sources said the coup has failed.
Additionally, witnesses added that a plane that had flown over the capital several times had drawn anti-aircraft fire. Shooting was also reported around the television broadcasting centres in the far northwest of the city. The president and his family were unharmed, the reports said.
President Maaouya Ould Sid' Ahmed Taya has been under pressure for the past few weeks following the detention of leading Islamists figures. Their trial opened last week, AllAfrica.com reported. Mauritania, a member of the Arab League, maintains full diplomatic relations with Israel, despite harsh criticism expressed by local opposition groups.
Taya came to power in December 1984 through a coup. After a multi-party system was set up, he won the presidential election in 1992 and was re-elected in 1997. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
