Violence erupts at soccer match in Guinea; over 100 dead

N'Zerekore/Guinea: The break out of a deadly clash during a football match in Guinea led to the death of more than a hundred people, Agence France-Presse reported.

When one doctor told AFP that dozens of people were killed during the clashes, which happened on Sunday, another doctor told the agency that over a hundred people were dead. The incident was triggered after a dispute arose over a decision by the match referee, which resulted in an outrage among fans. A witness said that after the dispute arose, fans invaded the football field.

There were videos of the incident appeared online in which angry demonstrators could be seen damaging public property while many others were seen trying to escape climbing walls.

A doctor, who demanded anonymity since he was not authorised to speak to the media, said that there are bodies lined up as far as the eye can see in the hospital. The morgue is full, he added.

The mob got angrier enough to vandalise and torch a police station in N’Zerekore.

The match was part of a tournament conducted in honour of Guinea’s junta leader, Mamadi Doumbouya. Doumbouya had seized power of the nation in a coup in 2021 and made himself president, AFP reported.

Guinea Prime Minister Bah Oury wrote on X, “The government deplores the incidents that marred the football match between the Labe and Nzerekore teams this afternoon in Nzerekore.”