Washington  - The United States has suspended all non- humanitarian aid to Mauritania in the wake of a military coup in the West African nation, the US State Department said Thursday.

The freeze applies to more than 20 million dollars in aid this year, including 15 million dollars in military funding, Gonzalo Gallegos, the department's acting deputy spokesman, said.

"At present, all non-humanitarian US foreign assistance is suspended and under review," Gallegos said, adding the United States condemns the coup in the "strongest possible terms."

The Mauritanian military ousted President Sidi Ould Cheikh and Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghf in the coup on Wednesday and placed them under house arrest, after the president sacked high level officers.

The coup leaders have pledged to hold elections as soon as possible, but did not set a date. (dpa)