Nouakchott, 18 July-(ANA)-Mauritanians have voted in large numbers in the first presidential poll since last year's military coup.
The man who led the coup, Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, is seen as the front-runner, along with veteran opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Hours before voting began, police in the capital arrested two alleged Islamic militants after a gun battle.
Mauritania's security chief said they were the men who murdered an American aid worker in Nouakchott last month.
"The two people arrested Friday night were the killers of the American, Christopher Leggett", Mohamed Lemine Ould Ahmed was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
Al-Qaeda had claimed responsibility for the killing of Mr Leggett, accusing him of trying to convert people to Christianity.
The police said one of the men was wearing explosives around his body. They had erroneously reported earlier that the other had been killed.(ANA)
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