Nouakchott  - The al-Qaeda terrorist network on Wednesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a Mauritanian military unit three days ago.

In a letter published on Islamist websites, al-Qaeda claimed the "jihadist brigades of Yahya Dshawadi, Prince of the Desert" had assaulted the soldiers near Zouerat in northern Mauritania and taken two of them hostage, among them a captain.

Initially, 12 soldiers had been reported missing after the attack.

The message, the authenticity of which remains unclear, accused the Mauritanian army of being allies of "American non-believers, crusaders, Jews and enemy's of God."

The Mauritanian military overthrew the government of democratically-elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in a bloodless coup on August 6. dpa