Mauritania: 26 military men arrested after two coupe attempts, released

The Mauritania official news agency said that 26 military men in Mauritania who were detained in the course of investigation in two failed coupe attempts, were released on Sunday.

Families of some of those military men said on Monday in Nouakchott that some 20 military men were released on Sunday and Monday. The agency explained that the released military men: ten officers and 16 soldiers in the army and the national guards were brought back to their units, giving no more details.

Observers say that these steps constitute measures aiming at calming down following the detention of Saleh Weld Hnana which the authorities said he is the mastermind of three failed coupe attempts the last of which was in June 2003 against the regime of President Mu'aweya Weld al-Taye'.