Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly was a Mauritanian military officer who served as the head of state of Mauritania from 1979 to 1980. Born in the 1940s, he emerged as a key figure in Mauritania's military establishment during a period of political instability. He first rose to prominence during a time of significant tension, as Mauritania had undergone a coup d'état in 1978 that led to the ousting of President Moktar Ould Daddah, the country's first president after independence.

In 1979, Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly became the Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation (CMSN), following a coup that removed Colonel Mustafa Ould Salek from power. As head of the CMSN, Ould Louly effectively became the head of state of Mauritania. His leadership came during a period of military rule and economic struggle, compounded by ongoing conflict in the Western Sahara, in which Mauritania had initially been involved alongside Morocco against the Polisario Front. Under his leadership, Mauritania sought to distance itself from the Western Sahara conflict, eventually leading to peace with the Polisario Front in 1979.

Ould Louly’s time in power was short-lived. In January 1980, he was succeeded by his military colleague, Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, who had served under him as Prime Minister. Ould Louly retired from public life after stepping down and lived in relative obscurity until his death in 2019.

His brief leadership is often seen as part of a larger narrative of military control in Mauritania during the late 20th century, where a series of coups and countercoups shaped the country's political landscape.

REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Mahmoud_Ould_Louly