US Peace Corps pulls more than 100 American volunteers out of Mauritania for security reasons

October 9th, 2009 Turkmenistan denies entry to Peace CorpsALMATY, Kazakhstan — The reclusive Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan has denied entry to dozens of Peace Corps volunteers, the organization's country director said Friday. The decision to bar 47 volunteers from the U.S.

August 19th, 2009 Mauritania: Al-Qaida attacks work of foreignersNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Mauritania's foreign minister says recent attacks claimed by al-Qaida's North African branch were committed by foreign fighters. Naha Mint Moknass told France-24 television Wednesday that a recent suicide bombing and a separate killing of an American teacher were the work of foreigners.

August 18th, 2009 Al-Qaida branch claims Mauritania suicide bombingNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Al-Qaida's North African branch claimed responsibility Tuesday for a suicide bombing outside the French Embassy in Mauritania's capital. Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa released a message saying it was behind the Aug.

August 8th, 2009 Mauritania bomber injures 3 near French EmbassyNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania —A suicide bomber killed himself outside the French Embassy on Saturday night, wounding two embassy guards and a woman in the street, police and witnesses said. The man blew himself up around 7 p.m.

August 4th, 2009 3 charged in American's death in MauritaniaNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — A judge says that three men have been charged with murder in the slaying of an American teacher in Mauritania. Judge Moutapha Ould Said on Tuesday said that the men also were being charged with aiding al-Qaida.

July 25th, 2009 Mauritania police arrest al-Qaida murder suspectNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — A police official says officers have arrested a third suspected al-Qaida member for the June murder of American teacher. Police commissioner Mohamed Ould Ghassem says 26-year-old Didi Ould Bezeid was arrested Friday in Nouakchott, the capital.

July 18th, 2009 Mauritania: detained Islamists killed AmericanNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Mauritania's state security chief says two men detained in a late-night shootout in the capital are part of an al-Qaida-linked terror cell that killed an American citizen last month. Mohamed Lemine Ould Ahmed says the pair were among four people responsible for killing a 39-year-old American in Nouakchott in June.

July 18th, 2009 Mauritania police report shootout with IslamistsNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Police in Mauritania's capital say they exchanged fire with suspected Islamic extremists, killing one and wounding another who was wearing explosives wrapped around his body. A police inspector speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press a third suspect had escaped during the shootout in Nouakchott.

July 14th, 2009 Obama nominates new Peace Corps directorWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he will nominate a career international development specialist to be director of the Peace Corps. Aaron Williams is the vice president for international business development with RTI International.

June 29th, 2009 Family forgives son's al-Qaida linked killersNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — The family of an American man who was slain by extremists linked to al-Qaida while doing humanitarian work in Mauritania said Monday it has forgiven his killers. Chris Leggett, 39, was shot dead in the Mauritanian capital on June 23, not far from the school he helped run which taught computer skills to local prisoners.

June 27th, 2009 Mauritania president gives up claim to powerNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — More than 10 months after being overthrown in a military coup, Mauritania's first freely elected president has given up his claim to power and officially resigned. Mauritania has been ruled by a military junta since August, but President Sidi Cheikh Ould Abdallahi has maintained he is the legal president.

June 25th, 2009 Al-Qaida says kills US aid worker in MauritaniaNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Al-Jazeera TV says Al-Qaida's North Africa branch has claimed responsibility for the killing of an American aid worker shot dead this week in Mauritania's capital. The Arab satellite TV station said it had received an audio statement from al-Qaida of the Islamic Maghreb in which the group said 39-year-old Christopher Ervin Leggett was killed Tuesday for allegedly trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

June 23rd, 2009 American man shot dead in MauritaniaNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Police say an American man has been shot dead as he left his car in the capital of the West African nation of Mauritania. Witness Bilal Ould Mohamed says he saw at least two young men rush up to the middle-aged man and shoot him several times in the head and face.

June 23rd, 2009 American shot dead in West African capitalNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Gunmen attempting to kidnap an American man in Mauritania on Tuesday shot and killed him when he tried to resist, a police officer in the West African nation said. Neighbors said the middle-aged man taught at a center specializing in computer science in El Kasr, a lower-class neighborhood in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital.

June 23rd, 2009 Police: US man shot dead in West African capitalNOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Gunmen shot and killed an American man Tuesday as he left his car in the capital of the West African nation of Mauritania, police and witnesses said. Two men had initially tried to kidnap the man, but he resisted and they shot him when they realized they could not overpower him, a police officer said.