Troops in Mauritania have overthrown the country's first freely-elected leader and say they have formed a state council to rule the country. Troops are out on the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, where tear gas was fired at about 50 protesters.
President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was held after he tried to dismiss the military's top commanders.
Troops rounded up the president, along with his Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Ouakef, apparently without needing to use force on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the president tried to dismiss four senior army officers, including the head of the presidential guard, Gen Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who responded by launching the coup.
The country has been in the grip of a political crisis since a vote of no confidence in the cabinet two weeks ago.
Click on the link for video.Troops in Mauritania have overthrown the country's first freely-elected leader... more
