The European Union (EU) has criticised the state of human rights in Tanzania and recalled its ambassador to Brussels for talks, amid a plan for an anti-gay crackdown announced by a local official.

Same-sex relations are banned in Tanzania.

Last week the governor of the economic capital Dar es Salaam announced plans to launch a surveillance squad to hunt down gay people, but the government has distanced itself from the idea by saying it is not official policy.

In a statement, the EU has said it "regrets the deterioration of the human rights and rule of law situation in the country and will be conducting a broad review of its relations with Tanzania".

This follows a warning from the US Embassy in Tanzania that there were reports that gay people could be arrested.