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Exclusive - Mauritania
Coup d'état, president's son and daughter talk to RFI
Article published on the 2008-08-06 Latest update 2008-08-06 13:32 TU
Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, 2007
(Photo: Reuters)The former head of Mauritania's presidential guard has overthrown President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, according to the president's family. His son and daughter told RFI that their father has been arrested and that armed guards are keeping the family prisoner in the palace's living quarters.
The president's daughter, Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi, told RFI's French service that her father has been arrested today by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
She said there had been no gunfire but that she was unable to leave the building.
Mohamed Abdallahi, the president's son, told RFI's English-language service that the coup came after his father fired several high-ranking army members, including the head of the presidential guard, General Ould Abdel Aziz. Aziz is reported to be the leader of the coup.
"Ahout an hour later a group of soldiers from that battalion in charge of presidential security came in and they took the president to an unknown location," said Mohamed Abdallahi, adding that the family is imprisoned in its living quarters.
"There are two guards outside the room … there are guards downstairs with AK47 submachine guns," he said. "They put guards around the house, so we are not allowed to leave or receive visitors. They tried to confiscate all the phones that we have."
Asked if he had managed to conceal the phone that he was using for the interview, he replied, "If they hear that, it’s not going to be good for us because it’s the only phone we have."
The Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghf was also arrested and state broadcasting services were closed.
Abdallahi became the first democratically-elected president in Mauritania in 2007 after a bloodless coup in 2005 which was followed by a transition period overseen by a military council.
The coup comes after 48 MPs resigned from the ruling party and said they would form a new party.
Last month Abdellahi threatened to dissolve parliament after a motion of no confidence in his government led it to resign.
