Statement by Mauritania's new coupe leaders

Leaders of the coupe in Mauritania announced on Wednesday that they formed a military council for running the country's affairs until democratic elections are carried out.

Mauritania's TV broadcast the first statement for the council in which it vowed to establish democracy in the country within an interim period of two years.

The army and security forces were deployed in the streets of the capital and controlled the headquarters of the army, the guards, the radio and TV stations and Nouakchott airport which was closed before civilian flights.

Military sources in Senegal's capital, Dakar said that Mauritanian on Wednesday evening closed its border with it.

In Niger, where the toppled president had arrived coming from Riyadh, sources close to the Presidency said that part of the presidential delegation accompanying We'd Taye left Niamey to an unknown destination.

Some Mauritanian people celebrated in the streets of the capital the toppling of Weld al-Taye'. They raised their country's flags and signs of victories and chanted slogans commemorating freedom for Mauritania. Some of them demanded the release of political detainees and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.