Cameroon's President Paul Biya has reshuffled senior military staff, promoting the head of the Presidential Guard ​to a brigadier general from colonel and replacing commanders ‌in four of the country's five joint military regions, according to three separate presidential decrees.

• Biya, the world's oldest head of state, ​has been out of the public eye for two ​months. He left Cameroon on June 7 for ⁠what the civil cabinet described as "a brief private stay ​in Europe" and has not returned.
• The decrees were signed on ​Monday and announced on national radio.
• Cameroon's government spokesperson, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, did not respond to requests for comment. He told French broadcaster ​RFI on Sunday that "the president is alive" and will ​soon return.
• The appointments included a new commander of the Rapid Intervention Brigade, ‌the ⁠promotion of Major General Ebaka Hippolyte to Major General of the Armed Forces General Staff as well as several colonels to the rank of brigadier general, and changes to ​motorised infantry ​brigades.
• Cameroon's ruling party ⁠called a rare meeting of senior leaders last month as criticism mounted over the continued ​absence of Biya.
• Biya, 93, who has ruled ​the oil- ⁠and cocoa-producing country since 1982, often spends extended stretches abroad, though his advanced age has lately fuelled speculation about his ⁠health, ​whereabouts and ability to govern. The ​current overseas trip is one of his longest yet.