Firing heard after Mauritanian army troops launch coup

[Rose Siding]

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) - Mauritanian troops led by presidential guard members took over the armed forces headquarters, state radio and television buildings in the capital Nouakchott in a coup d'etat.
....
The troops had moved into the buildings from 5:00 am (0500 GMT) and also blocked off access to the presidential palace and government ministers, while President Maaouyia Ould Taya was in Saudi Arabia for the funeral of King Fahd.

All state media broadcasts were interrupted and no announcement had been made by the putschists several hours after their takeover.
....
His government recently cracked down on Islamist radicals, accusing them of links to terrorism and extremist groups in neighbouring Algeria.

In May the authoritative International Crisis Group said Nouakchott had seized on the US-led struggle against terrorism as a way to legitimize its denial of democratic rights.

link

[SteppingRazor]

1. The worst part is...

That this could easily now become Sudan, Part II as the Maurs (Arab Berbers) finally get to express their antipathy toward the majority black populace -- unless the troops involved in the coup are themselves black. This seems unlikely, though, given the recent crackdown on radical Islam in Mauritania, which would lead me to believe that this coup was facilitated by radical Islamists -- who are mostly Maur, not black, in this region. So, get ready for some ethnic cleansing.

[atreides1]

3. Before we jump to conclusions

Let's keep an eye on how things go. The army and security forces seem to be behind this, including the presidential guard.

We don't know yet what's going to happen.

[Ian David]

2. From Wikipedia: Nouakchott

Nouakchott
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nouakchott (Arabic: نواكشوط or انواكشوط; population estimate 1999: 881,000) is the capital and by far the largest city of Mauritania. Nouakchott is located at 18°6' North, 15°57' West (18.1, -15.95). <1>

Mauritania was part of the larger French colony of French West Africa, and as such had no capital during the colonial period: Saint-Louis, in Senegal held that position. In 1957, however, this small port town -- when it was selected, an ambitious building program was begun to increase its population to 15,000 -- was chosen to be the capital of the new country. In 1958 Mauritania was formed as an autonomous republic in the French Community, and when that organization became moribund after 1962, Nouakchott became the capital of an independent country.

As a tiny fishing town until 1958, Nouakchott has little history to mention. One event of note is the possibility that the Berber Muslim Almoravids are originally from the area.

Located on the Atlantic coast of the Sahara Desert, it lies on the west coast, on the Atlantic Ocean, although with the exception of Nouakchott Wharf and a deep water port, the coastal strip is mostly left empty and allowed to flood.

Nouakchott is the Sahara's largest city if one excludes marginal cases like Cairo (in the Nile River Delta) and the cities north of the Atlas Mountains on Africa's northern coast. This has come about due to explosive growth driven by north African drought since the beginning of the 1970s: many have moved to the city in quest of a better life.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouakchott

http://www.terraserver.com/imagery/image_gx.asp?cpx=-15.957420700247013&cpy=18.090491435536794&res=30&provider_id=340&t=pan

[Monkie]

4. bbc has: coup announcement on national radio

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4741243.stm

" Mauritania officers 'seize power'

Mauritanian army officers have announced the overthrow of the president and creation of a ruling military council.

The military council said it had ended the "totalitarian regime" of President Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya.
~snip~
The African Union has said it "strongly condemns any seizure of power or any attempt to take power by force".

A plane carrying President Taya landed in Niger's capital, Niamey, on his return from attending the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, officials say.
~snip~
The new Military Council for Justice and Democracy said it would rule the West African state for a transitional period of two years, after which it would organise free and fair elections."

[Up2Late]

5. UPDATE:Troops oust leader of Mauritania, promise democracy (AFP)

(I hate being so cynical, but I bet the U.S. is condemning this for different reasons than the rest of the world. World reason: Coup d'etat is the wrong way to do it. U.S. Reason: Over throwing the U.S. Backed Dictator of an Oil Rich "Ally" is bad.)

Troops oust leader of Mauritania, promise democracy

03/08/2005 21h06

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) - Troops seized power in the oil-rich northwest African country of Mauritania, overthrowing President Maaouya Ould Taya while he was abroad and pledging to bring in democracy, in a move which sparked condemnation from US and other leaders. "The military and the security forces have unanimously decided to put an end to the totalitarian practices of the regime from which our people have suffered so much in the last years," a statement quoted by the state news agency said, adding that the new regime would usher in democracy within two years.

The statement was issued several hours after troops took over the armed forces headquarters and state radio and television buildings at dawn, surrounding ministries and the presidential palace in the capital Nouakchott. Although residents of the city later emerged from their homes to express support for the coup leaders in apparently spontaneous protests, the United States joined other nations and multilateral bodies in voicing strong condemnation.

The US called for "a peaceful return to order under the constitution and the established government of President (Ould) Taya", acting State Department spokesman Tom Casey said adding Ould Taya, a US ally, was "the established, constitutional president of Mauritania". "Certainly there is no reason in our mind for any kind of extra-constitutional action," he said.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan also condemned the seizure of power, with spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying he was "deeply troubled" by the reports. Dujarric stressed that Annan "condemns any attempt to change the government of any country unconstitutionally" and insists that political disagreements be settled peacefully through democratic means.

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/050803210643.thqv3yri.html>
(more at link above)

[Moderator]

6. Kick

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

7. U.S.-Allied Leader of Mauritania Overthrown

A military junta overthrew Mauritania's U.S.-allied president Wednesday, saying it would temporarily rule the Muslim West African nation whose government had recently forged ties with the West and had warned of a growing threat from Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda.

No casualties were reported in the quick takeover, and President Maouya Sidi Ahmed Taya was out of the country when presidential guard troops took control of the national radio and television stations and seized the headquarters of the army chief of staff.

Taya, who took power in a 1984 coup, has allied himself with the United States in the war on terror and cracked down ruthlessly on opponents he accuses of being Islamic extremists. He refused to comment after arriving Wednesday in nearby Niger from Saudi Arabia, where he had attended King Fahd's funeral.

(...)

The opposition and some international groups have accused Taya of exaggerating the threat of Islamic extremism. He has jailed scores of Islamic activists and members of the army, accusing them of being terrorists or plotting to overthrow him after a 2003 coup attempt.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/03/AR2005080301836.html

[saigon68]

8. Another One " BITES THE DUST"

LOL

[CatholicEdHead]

9. Was allying with Bush or oil the real reason for the coup

Sure the army coup propaganda talks about being part of the "War on Terror" for the crackdown, but it could be economic. The army might want big chunks of the coming oil money.

More on the country.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mr.html

[Moochy]

10. Mauritania has long tradition of coups

The guy who was ousted also came to power in a coup.

This was according to the BBC last night.

[Theres-a]

13. From 2 months ago

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.176009466&par=0

[bemildred]

11. "the country is expected to begin pumping crude early next year"

and

"In June, U.S. Special Forces troops spent three weeks in the country training infantry forces."

Too little too late, or the intended outcome? Time will tell.

[nyrnyr1994]

12. Yahoo/AFP: Troops oust leader of Mauritania

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) - Troops seized power in the oil-rich northwest African country of Mauritania, overthrowing President Maaouyia Ould Taya while he was abroad and pledging to bring in democracy, in a move which sparked condemnation from US and other leaders.

"The military and the security forces have unanimously decided to put an end to the totalitarian practices of the regime from which our people have suffered so much in the last years," a statement quoted by the state news agency said, adding that the new regime would usher in democracy within two years.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050804/wl_afp/mauritaniacoup_050804081928

EDIT: I think this was already discussed earlier, if so please lock.