DAKAR, Aug. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Colonel Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, head of Military Council for Justice and Democracy, which seized power after a coup on August 3 in Mauritania, named a new prime minister on Sunday, according to reports reaching here from Nouakchott.

    The new prime minister, Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar is to replace Sghair Ould M'Bareck, who had remained in post after a military takeover in the northwest African state.

    Sghair Ould M'Bareck on Sunday handed in his resignation.

    The 49-year-old Boubacar returned to Mauritania on Saturday from France, where he had been serving as ambassador since 2004.

    A group of officers led by Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, the director of national security, on August 3 seized power while President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was out of the country.

    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