BISSAU, (Reuters) – Soldiers briefly held  Guinea-Bissau’s prime minister yesterday and ousted the army  chief of staff in the latest bout of military infighting to hit  a country that is a major drugs trafficking hub to Europe.

President Malam Bacai Sanha declared the situation under  control but questions over Guinea-Bissau’s leadership remained  after the same group of soldiers teamed up with the chief  suspect in a failed 2008 coup against Sanha’s late  predecessor.

“The situation is already under control. There was a  problem between soldiers which spilled over into the civilian  government,” Sanha said after meeting the new officials in  charge of the army.

“I will use my influence to find a friendly solution to  this problem between soldiers,” said Sanha, who has made  tentative steps to restoring order in the country since  renegade soldiers killed his predecessor Joao Bernado Vieira in  March 2009.