BY PA  NDERRY M'BAI
                                                AND  Akaleke


  Gambia's Army Chief of Defense Staff  Assan Sarr,  has been fired with immediate effect, highly placed sources in the heart of the Jammeh government told this paper today. The circumstances surrounding Mr.Sarr's sacking is not yet clear, but sources hinted that Sarr received a terse letter today, announcing his immediate removal from the army.

  Unconfirmed reports say,  army Chief  of Staff Sarr's sacking might be connected to recent moves by some disgruntled Gambian soldiers,  who vowed to rebel against the Jammeh government, if their allowances were not paid.  The said soldiers served as peace keepers,  in troubled region of Sudan.  Military sources say,  the aggrieved soldiers could not be calmed by the sacked army chief,  despite several attempts   by Sarr to prevail on the soldiers to remain calm.  Major Peter Singhateh led the said contingent to  Sudan  for peacekeeping.

  Assan Sarr,  suffered series of hiring and firing under Jammeh's rule. He was last year arrested and detained by the NIA, following reports that he was induced by some foreign nationals, who were arrested by the Navy for illegal fishing. The said vessel was impounded, but later released for some unexplained reasons.  The  vessel was later traced in  Sierra Leone.  He was later released and rehired as  Chief of   Defense Staff.

  The sacking of Sarr,  has been greeted  by shock by GNA soldiers, who seem  to be divided at the moment.  Military sources say,  Sarr is having a strong following in the army and his sacking might led to a rift within the army.


  In a statement today, the government announced the appointment of Captain Ndure Cham as the new Chief of Defense Staff.  Mr.Cham has been elevated to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with immediate effect.

  A senior military officer who spoke to  The ALLGAMBIAN said “this is a wrong move and the arrest and termination of security chiefs and ministers is becoming rampant and is a cause for alarm”  The  officer  went further said there is  “disunity among soldiers” and as he puts it, “it may lead  to something worse.  We the  soldiers are fed up now with Jammeh’s government”. There is a high state of alert in the Gambia,  as the president is said to be trying to frame  some senior military officers who had  been accused  of plotting to overthrow his dictatorship government.

  Meanwhile, the Director of the Civil Aviation and her deputy had been sacked.  She was briefly detained and later released.  Paul Bass  has been named as the new DG of Civil Aviation. This paper will keep its readers posted about developments.









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