By Saliou Samb and Bate Felix
CONAKRY (Reuters) -A controversial refereeing choice sparked violence and a crush at a soccer match in southeast Guinea, killing 56 folks in response to a provisional toll, the federal government stated on Monday.
The fatalities occurred through the last of a event in honour of Guinea’s navy chief Mamady Doumbouya at a stadium in Nzerekore, one of many nation’s largest cities.
Some followers threw stones, triggering panic and a crush, the federal government assertion stated, promising an investigation.
A video authenticated by Reuters confirmed dozens of individuals scrambling over excessive partitions to flee.
Talking on situation of anonymity, an official from the town’s administration stated many victims had been minors caught within the turmoil after police began firing tear fuel. The official described scenes of confusion and chaos with some dad and mom retrieving our bodies earlier than they had been formally counted.
Movies and photos shared on-line confirmed victims lined up on the bottom. In a single video, over a dozen inert our bodies might be seen, a number of of them kids.
Reuters was not instantly in a position to confirm that footage.
Opposition group Nationwide Alliance for Change and Democracy stated authorities bore accountability for organising tournaments to bolster political help for Doumbouya in contravention of a transition constitution previous to a promised presidential election.
There was no instant response from the navy junta to that accusation.
(Further reporting and writing by Hereward Holland and Alessandra PrenticeEditing by Ed Osmond and Andrew Cawthorne)