afrol News, 22 August - Mauritanian gendarmerie squad on Thursday re-arrested the country's former prime minister while on his way to attend anti-coup protest in the port city of Nouadhibou, some 470 km north of the capital Nouackchott.

Yahya Ould Ahmed Waqef has been invited to participate in the protest organised by a handful of legislators opposed to the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.

Mr. Waqef's ADIL party officials said he was arrested after his car was intercepted. The whereabouts of the former prime minister, who was released after a week after the military putsch, were unknown.

More than 100 of the country's 151 deputies signed a declaration rallying behind the military junta for its timely intervention to "salvage the country from further plunging into crisis."

The former head of presidential guards, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who led the military high state council, has accused the ousted president of being a dictator bent on blocking legislators from investigating corruption charges against his wife whose foundation's funding has been a stormy subject in many quarters.

Meanwhile, the World Bank has joined the international community to grind axe with the junta by temporarily suspending payments to the Mauritanian government.

The bank said all installments due to the government will be "suspended pending consultations and a thorough review of the situation."

Shortly before the coup, the bank endorsed US $4.5 million loan to the country to finance projects in the air and maritime transport industries.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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