SIX gunmen opened fire on the Israeli embassy in the the Mauritania capital Nouakchott today, trading fire with guards before fleeing screaming "Allah Akbar", according to witnesses.
The incident was reported by the Associated Press.
The men arrived by car and gathered in front of a club beside the embassy, cab driver Hamza Ould Bilal told the AP.
Just after 2am, the men pulled out their automatic weapons and scream "God is Great!'' in Arabic before firing on the embassy, he said.
The bar was also hit by gunfire in the attack
Guards at the embassy traded fire with the gunmen before the attackers fled, Mr Bilal said.
The neighbourhood has now been sealed off.
The attack follows recent public calls by political parties in Mauritania, an Islamic Republic which straddles black and Arab Africa, for the government to sever diplomatic ties with Israel.
The country is one of the few Arab League states to have relations with Israel.
On December 24, four French tourists were shot dead as they picnicked on the side of a road in Mauritania.
The attack was blamed on a sleeper cell affiliated with al-Qaeda.
- with Reuters
Topic: Gunmen open fire on Israeli embassy (Read 2169 times)