Mutineer named as army head

Guinea-Bissau has named a former army mutineer who once threatened to kill the country's prime minister as the new head of its armed forces. The decision to appoint General Antonio Injai as chief of staff comes less than a week after the West African nation was warned by the US against having mutineers in positions of power.

Washington has also threatened to withhold military assistance unless Guinea-Bissau acts against suspected "drug kingpins" in its armed forces.

Guinea-Bissau is seen as a hub for drugs trafficking, providing an easy transit point for cocaine shipped from Latin America to Europe. The trade has also contributed to growing political instability. In April, General Injai held the former chief of staff captive at his own barracks for three months. The Prime Minister, Carlos Gomes, was also detained and allegedly threatened with death.