French embassy targeted in Mauritania attack

NOUAKCHOTT: A suicide bomber blew himself up and wounded two guards outside the French embassy in Mauritania's capital on Saturday, a French embassy source said.

The source said no group had yet come forward to claim responsibility for the attack outside the embassy walls, which an eyewitness said caused no major damage to the building.

In Paris, a French diplomatic source said two people had been slightly hurt in the attack.

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"I've heard reports of a third but I don't know about that," he told Reuters. "They are investigating. We don't know who did it or their motives, that's the subject of the investigation."

The attack took place three days after Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who toppled Mauritania's first democratically elected leader in a coup last year, was sworn in as president of the Islamic state promising to make the fight against al Qaeda a priority.

Defeated opponents denounced his poll victory last month as a fraud, but former colonial power France said it was ready to re-engage with the Saharan country, applauding his tough anti-terrorist stance.

Al Qaeda activity has increased in northwest Africa and the Sahara desert, but attacks in Mauritania are infrequent.

In June, Al Qaeda's North Africa wing claimed responsibility for the shooting of an American aid worker in Mauritania, saying it was in retaliation for US military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In December 2007, four French tourists were killed by group and the Israeli embassy was attacked in 2008.

France is one of Mauritania's biggest partners in both trade and aid. In 2007 it set aside 93 million euros ($134 million) in a four-year aid package, only 30 percent of which has been paid. Paris said this week it would look to release the rest.

The European Union suspended aid payments to Mauritania in protest at the military coup last August, but has since indicated it may be willing to restart cooperation.