The new military junta arrested Waqef after the coup but released him on August 11 [AFP]

Yahya Ould Ahmed Waqef was arrested as he was on his way to attend a demonstration against the coup leaders on Thursday, the Front for the Defence of Democracy, a  coalition of four political parties who continue to support the ousted government, said.

"Security forces arrested him when he tried to enter Nouadhibou and turned him over to the police who are bringing him to the capital now," a spokesmen for the Front, said.

The prime minister was arrested after the coup but released on August 11 by the new military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

The reasons for the latest arrest of the prime minister are not known.

It comes after Ould Ahmed Waqef told Abu Dhabi TV on Wednesday the president had tried to fire the generals after learning they were "preparing a coup to be carried out on August 9."

Resisting the coup

The ousted prime minister last week said he would not recognise the nomination by the junta of former diplomat Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghaf as his replacement and would not willingly hand over his post.

The ousted president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi is still being detained by the authorities, under house arrest in a villa on the grounds of the Nouakchott congress centre.

On Wednesday the Mauritanian parliament started a month-long special session led by a majority of 107 of the total of 151 deputies who support the coup.

The session was officially called to discuss "the reasons for the blockage of democratic institutions" which led to what the general's supporters are calling "the change" of August 6.

However the pro-coup deputies have said they will use the session to name eight members to a special high court of justice,  which could decide to put Ould Cheikh Abdallahi on trial.

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