Demonstrations in Mauritania, opposition party banned

The Mauritanian authorities on Wednesday banned the pro-Iraq "al-Tali'ya El-Watania" (Nationalist vanguard) party after accusing it of destruction following the recent rapprochement between Mauritania and Israel.

On Monday, Mauritania's minister of the interior said that his government has "confirmed" information stating that Iraq is currently preparing acts of destruction in Mauritania. He accused "Iraqi agents" from the al-Tali'ya Party of receiving orders from high-ranking Iraqi officials.

One of the banned party's leaders, Sheikhna Ould Muhammad, said in a press conference held on Wednesday that these accusations are "baseless," adding that "the accusations" were proclaimed to please "the Israelis and the Americans."

The Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, witnessed yesterday new demonstrations by students from some educational institutions and corporations to protest the Mauritanian - Israeli agreement to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Mauritanian security forces intervened to disperse students who burned tires and threw stones at cars while repeating slogans against the USA and Israel.