Mauritanians are voting for the first time since the country gained independence from France in 1960.
- Citizens headed to the polls on Saturday to choose a successor President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz.
The 62-year-old is standing down after serving the maximum two five-year elected terms.
However the status quo is likely to prevail when a new leader is elected.
Abdel Aziz has expressed his support for Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who is a former general and defense minister.

Thai teen kills 7 in rampage at home and school before shooting himself
US appeals court blocks Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project
Spain dismantles one of Mediterranean's largest human smuggling networks
Syria says bomb on minibus near Damascus wounded 14, deaths reported mistakenly
Spain hopes to transfer migrant minors to mainland within weeks
