Guinea-Bissau president 'killed'

President Vieira ruled intermittently since 1980

Renegade soldiers have shot dead the president of Guinea-Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira, officials say.

The news comes just hours after the killing of the army chief of staff, who had fallen out with Mr Vieira.

Gunfire has been heard in the capital Bissau and it is unclear who is in control of the West African nation.

Bissau is one of the world's poorest states. It has a history of coups and has become a major transit point for trafficking cocaine to Europe.

Reports quoted military and government officials as saying the president was dead.

"President Vieira was killed by the army as he tried to flee his house which was being attacked by a group of soldiers close to the chief of staff Tagme Na Waie, early this morning," military spokesman Zamora Induta told AFP news agency.

He accused Mr Vieira of being responsible for the death of the army chief of staff.

Revenge

Gen Tagme died after a blast late on Sunday that destroyed part of the military headquarters.

An aide, Lt Col Bwam Nhamtchio, told AFP the chief of staff was in his office when Sunday's blast went off.

"He was gravely wounded and did not survive his injuries. This is a loss for all of us," Lt Col Nhamtchio said.

At least five people were reportedly killed in the explosion.

Following the attack on the military HQ, officers ordered two private radio stations in the city to cease broadcasting.

"For the security of the journalists, you must close the radio station and stop broadcasting. It's for your own safety," armed forces spokesman Samuel Fernandes told reporters at one station.

"We are going to pursue the attackers and avenge ourselves," he added.

The president and army chief are said to have been at odds for months.

Renegade soldiers last November attacked the presidential palace with automatic weapons in a failed coup attempt.

Plagued by coups

It is not yet clear who was behind the attack on Gen Tagme, but it once again highlights the country's fragility, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says.

After last November's attack, the president was subsequently given his own 400-strong militia for protection.

In January, that militia was accused of trying to kill the head of the army and was then disbanded.

Guinea-Bissau has been plagued by coups and political unrest since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.

President Vieira, just like the country's previous leaders, has relied on the army to stay in power, and personal rifts have made it a rocky relationship, our correspondent says.

Guinea-Bissau - a major transit point for Latin American cocaine headed for Europe - has also been destabilised by the effects of drug trafficking.

Some officials in the army are known to have become involved in the trade, our correspondent says.