- Mauritania has lost more than $20m (£10m) in non-humanitarian aid from United States government, following Wednesday's coup, in which the country's first freely elected president, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was ousted.
The suspended US aid includes US $15m, in military-to-military co-operation, more than US $4m, in peacekeeping training and more than US $3m, in development assistance.
US State department strongly condemned overthrow of Mr Adallahi by the national army and demanded an immediate return to civil rule, yesterday.
However, army general, Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who led military coup, said the army would safeguard democracy.
"The armed forces and the security forces will always stay with the people to deepen the democracy," he was quoted as saying.
Gen Abdelaziz further said about the army, "It's them who brought the democracy here and it's them who have always protected this democracy and they will always preserve it."
Meanwhile, Arab League and African Union have demanded immediate release of ousted president.
Representatives of both bodies arrived in Mauritania today to discuss situation with coup leaders.
Renegade soldiers are believed to be holding president Abdallahi in army barracks near the presidential palace.
The move occurred after he is reported to have tried to dismiss four senior army officers, including Mr Abdelaziz, head of presidential guard.
The whereabouts of the president are still unclear, and his daughter, Amal Cheikh Abdallahi, said she did not know where her father was.
"I'm very worried about his health and his security. He doesn't have the right to move or to call. He doesn't have a phone. He doesn't have liberty," she told media.
France repeated its condemnation of the coup. A statement from French president's office warned that France might take measures against coup leaders, although it did not elaborate further.
There were demonstrations for and against the coup in capital Nouakchott, yesterday. But media reports show that it was remarkably calm and relaxed, a day after takeover.
Despite widespread international condemnation of takeover, many MPs and political parties have expressed their support for it.
Senate Vice-President Morsen Ould al-Haj said that the president had abused his powers and was particularly angered by influence his daughter and wife wielded.
"He failed completely. He transformed everything into a family business. He became very stubborn; he started by installing his children in all parts of government," Mr al-Haj reportedly told media.
The military has been involved in nearly every government since Mauritania's independence from France in 1960.
Presidential elections held in 2007 ended a two-year period of military rule, the product of another military coup in 2005.
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