Mauritanian Diplomat Self-Immolates in Nouakchott

A Mauritanian diplomat died after setting himself alight on Wednesday night, an act apparently linked to the recent death of his younger brother, a security source told Agence France Presse Thursday.

"The man sprayed his whole body with petrol before setting it alight, the fire completely consumed him in the street despite efforts of passers-by to save him," the security source said on condition of anonymity.

A member of the man's family quoted in local media said he had been posted in Kuwait as a diplomat, but returned recently after his younger brother died, which "affected him a great deal."

He had several times stated that he planned to set himself ablaze, but "nobody believed him due to his age (50) and his behavior as a good Muslim," said the same source.

Suicide is forbidden by Islam, which considers it to be voluntary homicide punished by going to hell.

However, self-immolation is often a form of political protest. There was a wave of them during the Arab Spring, a popular revolt which led to the downfall of several regimes in the Middle East and North Africa.