South Sudan President Salva Kiir has fired the police chief amid a crackdown on security officials following reports of an attempted coup against him.

A decree by the president read on state TV on Tuesday night said Lt Gen Majak Akec Malok had been replaced by Lt Gen Atem Marol Biar.

Security officials downplayed the coup rumours that emerged on 11 November as Mr Kiir was on an official visit to Riyadh for the inaugural Saudi-Africa summit.

A day later, Sudans Post website reported the arrest of 27 military and intelligence officials.

Long-delayed security reforms are underway in the fractured East African nation that is preparing to hold its first election since attaining independence in 2011.

Separately, the UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force in the contested Abyei region, claimed by South Sudan and Sudan, for another year.

Source:BBC