The Mauritanian military staged a coup on Wednesday in the capital of Nouakchott, arresting President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghf, reports from agencies said.

The reports said the Mauritanian interior minister was also arrested by the military.

State radio and television have been closed. Al Jazeera reported that the military has surrounded the state television building in the capital.

Soon after the coup was staged, soldiers in the country announced the establishment of the State Council, saying that Abdallahi was no longer president.

The State Council has issued a statement, saying that the council will be led by Mauritanian's former presidential guard chief Gen. Mohamed Ould AbdelaAziz, according to reports.

The coup came as Abdallahi have fired several top army officers.

Mauritania has been in a deep political crisis. The government stepped down last month amid a proposed no confidence vote.

Abdallahi became president last year after winning elections which marked the return of civilian rule to the country.

No violence has been reported in the country so far.

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2008)