Protest demonstrations in Mauritania over Shalom's visit

Mauritania yesterday witnessed several demonstrations in protest of the visit expected to be held by the Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom to Nouakchott during this year.

The first demonstration started from the university hostel in Nouakchott, but the Mauritanian police used tear gas to disperse students taking part in the demonstration organized by "students initiative in counter of the Zionist infiltration." After the demonstration was dispersed, scores of riot fighting police men remained outside the confines of the hostel where streets were filled with stones thrown by scores of students.

On the other hand, the assistant secretary general of the national league against normalization, Muhammad Mahmoud Weld Abi al-Maali, said that hundreds of the Islamic opposition members headed in a protest demonstration to the headquarters of the ministry of the interior near the Presidential building and the police did not intercept them.

Hundreds of school students in Nouakchott observed several sit in and demonstrations of protest against Shalom's expected visit the country.

In the capital's streets, the demonstrators covered the walls by anti-Israel slogans. These slogans condemn Shalom's visit and describe him as a criminal and member of Ariel Sharon's team and call for making his visit a failure.

News Agencies