Mauritania

News about Mauritania

African coalition to fight Al-Qaeda in Sahel formed

African coalition to fight Al-Qaeda in Sahel formed

A meeting in Algeria on Sunday saw the Chiefs of Defence Staff from Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Niger agreeing to join forces to fight...
Mauritania: An African state where Blacks are “second class citizens”

Mauritania: An African state where Blacks are “second class citizens”

Students have been up in arms, since March 25, against the Arabization of Mauritania, as expressed by members of the government on March 1,...
Arabization and a history of Black-African marginalization in Mauritania

Arabization and a history of Black-African marginalization in Mauritania

Overtaken by an overpowering sense of relentless cultural oppression and marginalization, Black-Mauritanians continue to express their resentment after two recent speeches, by the Prime...
Mauritania: “Arabization has nothing to do with Islam”

Mauritania: “Arabization has nothing to do with Islam”

The Mauritanian government, Sunday, spoke out on the burning issue of Arabization, which was raised by the Prime Minister and Minister of Youth and...
Mauritania: Arabization hateful of African culture?

Mauritania: Arabization hateful of African culture?

Tensions have risen to a fever pitch on the campus of the University of Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania, since the month of March. Arabization...
Mauritania: Marginalised Black populations fight against Arabisation

Mauritania: Marginalised Black populations fight against Arabisation

Hundreds of Black Mauritanian students gathered at the University of Nouakchott Tuesday to express their outrage against what they call a "comprehensive Arabization" of...
Terrorism in Africa: Best way forward is economic development

Terrorism in Africa: Best way forward is economic development

Representatives from seven African countries met, Tuesday, March 16, in Algiers to assess the security situation in the Sahel-Saharan region. Participants at the conference...
Al Quaeda in the Islamic Maghreb gaining ground

Al Quaeda in the Islamic Maghreb gaining ground

The Al Qaeda terrorist group in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) Tuesday claimed responsibility for the abduction of a French and three Spanish nationals, respectively kidnapped...
Mauritania: Why the United States and France validated Abdel Aziz’s election

Mauritania: Why the United States and France validated Abdel Aziz’s election

According to Paris, the locally criticised election that sought to legitimise Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz’s presidency took place under internationally acceptable conditions. In other...
Mauritania: Opposition cries foul over Military Junta’s electoral victory

Mauritania: Opposition cries foul over Military Junta’s electoral victory

Gen Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who led a military coup in 2008 and ousted Mauritania's only democratically elected leader, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, has conducted...
Mauritania junta: A year of empty european condemnation

Mauritania junta: A year of empty european condemnation

On Wednesday 6th of August 2008, a group of high ranking military personnel, who were dismissed from their post earlier in the day, ousted...
Libyan leader backs much criticized Mauritanian junta

Libyan leader backs much criticized Mauritanian junta

The Libyan leader, Moummar Kadhafi, has thrown his weight behind the military junta in Mauritania, the Mauritanian news agency reported Sunday. Kadhafi was said to...
Terrorist attacks further dent Mauritania economy

Terrorist attacks further dent Mauritania economy

Following the set back suffered from donor sanctions on Mauritania, the country is struggling to cope with the latest blow dealt them by the...
Spanish ship seized by Mauritania to be freed only after …

Spanish ship seized by Mauritania to be freed only after …

The Mauritanian maritime authorities Sunday agreed to release a Spanish fishing vessel, "Bahia de Portosanto", detained last Wednesday for illegal fishing, as soon it...
10 Al Qaeda terrorists arrested in raid by security forces

10 Al Qaeda terrorists arrested in raid by security forces

The Mauritanian police force has arrested, during the last 24 hours, ten alleged islamist terrorists, security sources disclosed Sunday. The suspected terrorists were arrested during...
Mauritanian junta soliciting popularity pledges public media pluralism

Mauritanian junta soliciting popularity pledges public media pluralism

Mauritanian Head of State, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, Tuesday emphasised the importance of pluralism and diversity of opinions in the public media, said...
West African coasts and coastal cities slowly submerging

West African coasts and coastal cities slowly submerging

Swathes of West Africa’s coastline extending from the orange dunes in Mauritania to the dense tropical forests in Cameroon will be underwater by the...
Mauritania : catastrophe ahead if deposed President is not restored

Mauritania : catastrophe ahead if deposed President is not restored

Mauritania's future, -- after the August 6 coup that brought to power a 'High State Council' made up of 11 officers led by General...
Ousted Mauritanian President was coup leader’s puppet …

Ousted Mauritanian President was coup leader’s puppet …

The leader of the newly-formed National Front for the Defence of Democracy, Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Dahmane, told IRIN national police had dispersed demonstrators on...
Coups, Slavery, Extremism and a confused Mauritanian population

Coups, Slavery, Extremism and a confused Mauritanian population

Recent visits between coup leader Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and leaders from the African Union, League of Arab States, United Nations, and Mauritania’s major...
PM and top gov’t officials released from captivity, President still in custody

PM and top gov’t officials released from captivity, President still in custody

Almost a week after their captivity in the highly criticised coup d’etat, four of Mauritania's high-ranking government officials have been released. Those released, according to...
South Africa joins Nigeria to condemn and reject Mauritanian coup

South Africa joins Nigeria to condemn and reject Mauritanian coup

The South African government has joined the international community in condemning the military coup in Mauritania. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said South...
Nigerian President sends strong warning to Mauritanian Army Chief Mohamed Ould Mohamed for coup

Nigerian President sends strong warning to Mauritanian Army Chief Mohamed Ould Mohamed for coup

The democratically-elected government of Mauritania has been toppled in a coup, according to the state media. An announcement on state television Wednesday said the Head...
An unusual serial rapist and killer arrested

An unusual serial rapist and killer arrested

Mauritanian police arrested a young man , Ali Sarr, presumed to be in his twenties and suspected of committing a series of rapes and...
Mauritanian refugees return home

Mauritanian refugees return home

The return of over 4,000 Mauritanian refugees who have been living in exile in Senegal for almost two decades has been smooth on the...
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Mass resignation from Mauritanian opposition party

At least 10 officials of the Mauritanian opposition party Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD), including vice-chairman Dieng Mohamed Koum and members of the executive...
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Gov’t blamed for the escape of multiple killer

The President of Mauritania's Bar Association, Ahmed Ould Youssouf Ould Cheikh Sidya, says the government should shoulder "political responsibility" for last Wednesday's escape in...
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Hydrocarbon market opacity condemned by Oil Operators

Star Oil operators (the leader on Mauritanian and Malian markets) and Total have denounced the "conditions of opacity" in which M auritania's oil product...
Mauritania sad at Dakar Rally cancellation

Mauritania sad at Dakar Rally cancellation

The cancellation of this year's Lisbon-Dakar rally over security fears in Mauritania has continued to elicit reactions from the African nation, which was billed...
MAURITANIA-SENEGAL: Is Mauritania ready for its refugees?

MAURITANIA-SENEGAL: Is Mauritania ready for its refugees?

Mauritania, Senegal and the UN Refugee Agency recently signed an agreement that could turn the page on an ugly history in Mauritania, where 75,000...