������̳

The dog that killed the eight-year-old son of Gambian President Adama Barrow has been put down, a government official has confirmed.

Habibu Barrow died in hospital after being bitten by the dog last month at his aunt's house in a coastal resort near Banjul.

The attack happened before Mr Barrow was inaugurated and while he was still in Senegal for his safety.

The president, who recently returned to the Gambia, missed his son's funeral.

Reports say that Habibu - one of the president's five children - was mauled by the dog and sustained a head injury.

It is unclear why the dog attacked the young boy.

The animal, which had been certified rabies free, was put down on Tuesday, with a quick procedure.

The government official said the dog belonged to the aunt and had not attacked anyone before.

He said the attack had worried the family and they were comfortable with the action taken.

"We thought it's not safe for the community if the dog was on the streets," the official said.

Many homes in the upmarket area of Fajara, where Habibu was staying along with his mother and other siblings, have security dogs to ward off intruders.

Mr Barrow, who won elections in December, was living in neighbouring Senegal at the time after the previous Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh, refused to step down.

He returned to the Gambia last week after Mr Jammeh agreed to leave the country.

Adama Barrow: From estate agent to president