Overthrow of Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya

Date: August 3, 2005 • Location: Rome, Italy

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 2005.

Mauritanian president Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was overthrown in a military coup while he attended the funeral of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Ould Taya is a Mauritanian military officer and politician who served as the President of Mauritania from 1984 to 2005. He also served as the fifth Prime minister of Mauritania from 1981 to 1992 except for a brief period in 1984.