Support for Mauritania coup
2008-08-07 14:05
Nouakchott - About a thousand people gathered in the Mauritanian capital on Thursday for a march in support of the military coup that ousted the country's first democratically elected leader.
The march began near Nouakchott's airport and was joined by several hundred vehicles bearing giant portraits of coup leader General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Marchers chanted "Aziz, Aziz" in support of the general, who deposed president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi hours after the president sacked him on Wednesday.
Many carried banners condemning the ousted president and calling for "an urgent solution to socio-economic problems".
The march, which was organised by a group of MPs who walked out of the ruling party last week, was set to conclude outside the presidential palace.
The northwest African country has been especially badly hit by the food crisis as it imports 70% of its food needs.