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Fifty-six people have been killed and several injured in a stampede at a soccer stadium in southern Guinea, following a clash between fans, the government said.
Authorities in the West African country are conducting an investigation to identify those responsible for Sunday’s stampede, Communications Minister Fana Soumah said in a statement read on national television on Monday.
Children were among those killed as security forces tried to quell clashes during a soccer match at a packed stadium in southern Guinea’s largest city, according to local media and a coalition of political parties.
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A stampede broke out on Sunday afternoon in the town of Nzerekore during the final of a local tournament between the teams of Labe and Nzerekore in honor of Guinean warlord Mamadi Doumbouya, Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah said on Platform X.
Regional authorities are working to restore peace in the area, he added.
Local media reported that security forces tried to use tear gas to restore calm after the chaos that followed the disputed penalty.
“This (disputed penalty) enraged the fans who threw stones. This is how the security services used tear gas,” local Media Guinea reported.
Several of the dead are said to be children, while some of the injured who are being treated at a regional hospital are in critical condition.
Video footage appearing from the scene showed part of the stadium shouting and protesting against the officiating before clashes broke out as fans flocked to the pitch.
People were running as they tried to escape the stadium, many of them jumping over the high fence.
Videos also showed many people lying on the floor in what appeared to be a hospital as a crowd gathered nearby, some helping the wounded.
The National Alliance for Alternative and Democracy coalition called for an investigation. It said the tournament was organized to drum up support for the military leader’s “illegal and inappropriate” political ambitions.
Guinea has been ruled by the military since soldiers ousted President Alpha Conde in 2021. It is one of a growing number of West African countries, including Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, where the military has seized power and delayed a return to civilian rule.
Doumbouya ran over the president three years ago, saying he had prevented the country from sliding into chaos and punished the previous government for broken promises. However, it has been criticized for not living up to the expectations it generated.
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