BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
Over 50 people have been killed after clashes between fans and a stampede at a football match in southeast Guinea, according to the government.
Footages shared online showed some children seen among the people on the ground, while images show fans scrambling over walls.
Guinea’s government has said around 56 people have been killed and more injured after violence broke out over a contested goal.
Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah said the government “deplores the incidents that marred the football match”.
“During the stampede, victims were recorded,” he added, without confirming the number of deaths.
A local official told Reuters news agency around 50 people are feared to have been killed.
The match between Labe and Nzerekore on Sunday was the final of a tournament in honour of the country’s military leader Mamady Doumbouya.
The stampede broke out at the Nzerekore city during the final of a local tournament between the Labe and Nzerekore teams.
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According to local media, the stampede happened after a fight broke out between fans over a disputed referee decision.
Videos appearing to be from the scene showed a section of the crowd shouting and protesting the refereeing before clashes broke out as fans ran onto the field.
“This (a disputed penalty) angered supporters who threw stones,” Media Guinea reported. “This is how the security services used tear gas.”
The violence “quickly escalated, and scenes of panic invaded the stadium, while police used tear gas”, Guinea Panorama reported.
Communications minister Fana Soumah, who spoke on television, said authorities are investigating to establish those responsible for the stampede.
Opposition group National Alliance for Change and Democracy said authorities have “significant responsibility for these grave events”.
Guinea has been led by the military since 2021.
