An Arab League delegation is heading to Mauritania on Friday to try to heal the rifts caused by Wednesday's coup which toppled the first elected president of the west African country. “This mission aims to protect the security and stability of Mauritania, a member of the Arab League, and the democratic gains since 2007,” League delegation leader Ahmed Ben Helli said on Thursday. Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, ex-leader of the presidential guard in Mauritania, led Wednesday's widely condemned coup against President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who is now in custody. The Arab League has called on the political rivals in Mauritania to “favor dialogue” in the crisis and to “respect the rules of democracy,” while the 22-member body's secretary general Amr Moussa voiced “extreme concern” about the situation. The African Union expressed concern. In Nouakchoot, police on Thursday broke up a protest by hundreds of people against the coup. Earleir, around 1,000 people marched through the capital in support of Gen. Abdel Aziz. Addressing the crowd at a rally outside the presidential palace at the end of the march, Abdel Aziz promised to solve the country's problems in his first public speech since taking control. “I will work to solve all the problems this country is confronted with,” said the general, who was flanked by members of the ruling junta. The junta promised to quickly hold new elections “in the shortest possible period.
