Guinea-Bissau has carried out a major military reshuffle with some top officers sidelined in past military conflicts reinstated.

According to reports reaching here on Thursday from Bissau, in the reshuffle 65 new faces were appointed and 60 others were sacked.

Among the most striking appointments were the reintegration of four senior loyalist officers who were sacked in 1999 after the military ousted former president Nino Vieira.

Guinea-Bissau Defense Minister Daniel Gomes described the broadchanges, announced in Bissau Wednesday, as "historical" and signaling the start of "modernization and reform" of the chronically restive military.

The Armed Forces chief of staff, Major General Baptista Tagme Na Wai, unveiled the changes at a news conference, saying the restructure was a decisive step toward reconciliation and unity ofthe "military family."

Na Wai repeatedly pledged the Armed Forces would respect constitutional order and warned politicians not to interfere in orseek to manipulate the military.

Na Wai was chosen to lead the Armed Forces after his predecessor, Gen. Verissimo Seabra, was killed on Oct. 6 in an army mutiny over back pay, poor living conditions and allegations of corruption among top brass.

The mutiny erupted a little more than one year after Seabra leda bloodless coup that toppled former president Kumba Iala in September 2003.

Source: Xinhua