Mauritania: Military coup overthrows president

The president of Mauritania, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh (photo), has been overthrown in a military coup following his decision to sack some senior members of the army, including the presidential guard chief Mohamed Ould Abdulazizz. Shortly after announcing the sacking of the military brass soldiers from the presidential guard gathered at the presidential palace seized Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallah, other Government officials and replaced the sacked army chiefs.