Mauritania junta leader declared poll winner

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) - July 19, 2009 With all valid votes counted, Interior Minister Mohamed Ould Rzeizim said Sunday evening that 52-year-old coup leader Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz won 52 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff.

Aziz came to power in an August 2008 coup, but resigned from the army and from his post as junta leader to run in Saturday's election.

The main opposition candidates had earlier rejected the outcome, declaring the ballot rigged and calling for the international community to investigate.

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