2005 Mauritanian coup

The 2005 Mauritanian coup d'état took place on 3 August 2005. The long-serving dictator Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was ousted by the military of Mauritania and replaced by the Military Council for Justice and Democracy while Taya was in Saudi Arabia attending the funeral of King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. A constitutional referendum, parliamentary and presidential elections were scheduled and the coup leaders vowed not to contest any of the elections. The military government ended with the presidential election on 11 March 2007.

Taya had reigned over Mauritania since he had taken power from Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla in a bloodless coup. Mauritania had also seen coup d'état attempts in June 2003 and August 2004. The 2003 attempt had been led by Saleh Ould Hanenna, and the August 2004 attempt was allegedly led by army officers hailing from Hannena's ethnic group. Motives for the coup included Taya's alignment with America and being one of only three Arab nations to start formal diplomatic ties with the state of Israel. The coup was also motivated by opposition to Taya's suppression of opposition parties and his occasional military purges.

While Taya was attending the funeral of Al Saud, members of the Presidential Guard surrounded the presidential palace and other important ministries. Shots were heard throughout the capital, clearing the streets of Nouakchott. The coup leaders also took control of state run radio and TV stations. In an official message on Mauritanian television, the coup leaders declared, "The armed forces and security forces have unanimously decided to put a definitive end to the totalitarian acts in the past few years of the defunct regime under which our people have suffered greatly in the last few years."

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