Mauritanian Leader Back Home after Treatment for Shooting

Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz flew home from France on Saturday, where he spent 40 days recovering after being shot by a soldier in what was officially described as an accident.

Tens of thousands of supporters lined the three kilometers (two-miles) of road between Nouakchott airport and the presidential palace, to welcome him back.

He flew in at 17:00 (local and GMT) and appeared to be in good health, walking across the tarmac to greet government officials and members of the diplomatic corps.

The 55-year-old Mauritanian leader was shot by a soldier on October 13 in what government has described as an accident.

The gunman, Lieutenant Elhaj Ould H'Moudy, has said he opened fire on the president's vehicle when it failed to stop at a mobile army checkpoint on his request.