Military Coup in Mauritania

Today, the Mauritanian military staged a coup and detained President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waqef, overthrowing the nation’s first freely elected government in 20 years. The President had fallen out of favor with parliament and it seems the final straw was the firing of the country’s four top military officials by the President and Prime Minister. Even though details from Mauritania are sketchy it was announced Presidential Guard Chief Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, will lead a new “state council.”