Abdel Aziz, Mohamed Ould, 1956–, Mauritanian military and political leader, president of Mauritania (2009–19). A career army officer, he rose through the ranks to become chief of staff. He was instrumental in putting down a coup against President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya in 2003, and played a key role in suppressing a military insurrection in 2004. In 2005 he joined Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, the national security chief, in overthrowing Taya. In 2008 Abdel Aziz ousted President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who had dismissed him as his chief of staff, and became president of the high council of state. In 2009, as a member of the Union for the Republic party, he was elected president; he was reelected in 2014, in a vote that was boycotted by most of the opposition. Abdel Aziz was succeeded by Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
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