A military coup in Mauritania occurred on August 6, 2008, which resulted in the overthrow of the country's legitimate president.
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Reasons
There was a serious political crisis in the country. President Sidi Mohammed Ould Sheikh Abdullahi was accused of inability to improve the economic situation in the country, to cope with poverty and unemployment, as well as abuse of power. On August 3, 48 members of parliament immediately left the ranks of the ruling party, further weakening the position of the country's leadership.
Pitch
On the morning of August 6, the president dismissed the head of the General Staff, who heads the presidential guard, Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, and army commander Muhammad Ould Ghazwani , accusing them of being behind the ongoing political crisis in the country [1] .
After that, the Moorish military seized a number of state institutions, including the presidential palace and the national television building, thereby stopping television and radio broadcasting [2] . The President of the country, as well as the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs of the country were arrested. About 50 people gathered in protest against the power seizure of power and in support of the ousted president in the center of Nouakchott , who were soon dispersed by tear gas [3] . The putschists established the Council of State, led by General Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz. By its first decree, the Council of State canceled the latest changes in the command of the Moorish army [2] .
Coup Reaction
- UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon condemned the seizure of power in the country and called for the "immediate restoration of constitutional order" in Mauritania [2] .