Eight soldiers and three civilians, among them two Spanish nationals, were on Tuesday shot dead in a military barrack situated in Monte Tchota locality in Cape Verde's Santiago Island off the west coast of Africa, official sources in the capital Praia said.

In a press statement, Interior Administration Minister Paulo Rocha said the two Spanish nationals were working in Cape Verde for a maintenance company.

The minister said a soldier who was on guard had disappeared and there are "strong indications" that he was involved in the matter for personal reasons.

Rocha rejected any links of the incident to a terrorist attack or illegal drug trafficking.

It is suspected that the 11 were killed by an automatic AKM rifle that is used by Cape Verdean soldiers.

The minister also confirmed that the vehicle used by the two Spanish nationals had been found at a compound in Praia, with one of such rifles but the soldier was missing.

Police immediately surrounded the scene of the tragedy and barred journalists from accessing it.

Source: XINHUA