On Monday (December 2), the government of Guinea in West Africa stated that a football match in the country’s eastern region resulted in violence and a stampede due to a controversial referee decision. Preliminary statistics indicate that the incident has resulted in the death of 56 people.
According to Reuters, the football match was organized in support of Guinea’s military leader Mamady Doumbouya and took place at a sports arena in Nzerekore, Guinea.
Some fans threw stones, causing panic and a stampede. The government later issued a statement promising to investigate the incident.
A video verified by Reuters showed dozens of people scrambling to climb over high walls to escape.
An anonymous official from the city’s administration department mentioned that many of the victims were minors who lost their lives in the chaos after the police began using tear gas. The official described the scene as chaotic, with some parents retrieving their children’s bodies before an official count of the deceased was conducted.
A circulated video displayed the bodies of the victims lying on the ground in a row. In one segment of the video, over a dozen individuals showed no signs of life, including several children.
The opposition group “National Alliance for Change and Democracy” stated that the military government’s hosting of the tournament prior to the promised presidential elections to bolster support for Doumbouya violated the transitional constitutional charter, holding responsibility for the event.
The military government has not provided an immediate response to this accusation.