Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz said yesterday he felt well and would return to his West African state "in the next few days" after recuperating in Paris from a shooting accident last month.

Mr Aziz, an ally of the West in its fight against al Qaeda in Africa, was flown to France on October 14 after his government said a military patrol had fired on his convoy accidentally.

"I intend to return very soon, in the next few days," he said in Paris after meeting French President Francois Hollande.

Rumours have abounded in the coup-prone nation since the shooting, with many questioning the official government version of events.