BANJUL, Jan. 12 -- Authorities in Gambia have confirmed the sacking of 124 police officers previously working in the Tourism Development Area (TDA), officials told Xinhua on Sunday.

The officers, who were sacked on Friday, had been posted to the TDA to protect the area from the illegal dumping of waste and other criminal activities affecting tourists.

At time of going to press, no official reason had yet been given for the dismissals.

"We can not tell exactly what we have committed and why we are sacked, this is something unbelievable," said a sacked officer, who asked to go unnamed.

The TDA is a stretch of land along the coastline set aside by the Gambian government for tourist developments.

Tourism in the West African nation has become the fastest-growing sector of the economy, contributing 13 percent of the country's GDP and providing employment for almost 90,000 Gambians.