Mauritania's President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed. (filephoto)

    DAKAR, Aug. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Gunfire rang out near the presidency building in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Wednesday after army troops, including members of the presidential guard, seized control of the state radio and television in the capital, according to reports reaching here from Nouakchott.

    The presidential guard troops cut state media broadcasts. Heavily armed soldiers deployed in force on the streets of Nouakchott, and around ministerial offices and the presidency.

    President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was out of the country after attending the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd in Riyadh on Tuesday.

    Shops were closed and taxis were not stopping to pick up those trying to leave the center of town.

    President Taya, who has survived several coup attempts during his 20-year reign, has cracked down ruthlessly against opponents, including members of the army, jailing scores of people accused ofplotting to overthrow him.

    Mauritania, a sparsely populated nation of 3 million on the northwest edge of Africa, is strictly regulated by Taya who took power in a 1984 military coup. Enditem