Guinean junta sacks old generals

The army officers who seized power in Guinea have moved to strengthen their position by dismissing 22 generals.

The leader of the coup which followed the death of President Lansana Conte said the generals had all reached the mandatory retirement age.

Captain Moussa Dadis Camara said they would be given senior posts later.

Earlier, Captain Camara and his colleagues held talks with officials from the West African regional grouping, Ecowas.

The organisation's Secretary General, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said the coup leaders had promised to work with Ecowas to ensure a peaceful political transition in Guinea.

The junta, which took over in a bloodless coup, has said it wishes to "reassure the international community" of its commitment to stamping out corruption and holding elections in 2010.

Its seizure of power was condemned internationally but Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has urged the world community to recognise the new leadership.

Correspondents say the coup appears to have been welcomed by many people within the country who weretired of despotic rule under the former president and his corrupt government.

Source:BBC