56 killed in ‘stampedes’ at Guinea football match

Stampedes at a football match killed 56 people in Guinea's second-largest city of N'Zerekore, the junta-controlled government said Monday.

"Protests of dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions led to stone-throwing by supporters, resulting in fatal stampedes" at Sunday's match, the government statement said, which was published as a news ticker on national television.

"Hospital services have put the provisional death toll at 56," it added.

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah condemned the "incidents that marred the match between the teams of Labe and N'Zerekore", in a post on Facebook.

"The government is following the situation and reiterates its call for calm so as not to impede hospital services from aiding the injured," he added.

Local media said the match in the southeastern city was part of a tournament organised in honour of Guinea's junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup and has installed himself as president.

Such tournaments have become common in the West African nation as Doumbouya eyes a potential run in presidential elections expected next year and political alliances form.

Source: AFP