Tragedy Strikes Guinea Football Match: Dozens Dead in Stampede

Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah has called for calm as local media report on a tragic incident during a football match in N'zérékoré, Guinea's second-largest city.

Dozens of individuals lost their lives in a horrific crush that occurred during a heated football match from which chaos erupted following confrontations among fans. According to local reports, the tragic events unfolded at a game featuring teams N'zérékoré and Labé, with thousands of spectators in attendance on Sunday. The Prime Minister addressed the situation, noting that a stampede led to numerous victims and reported that local hospitals were filled to capacity.

Amid rising tensions, police resorted to using tear gas after irate fans of the visiting team, Labé, threw objects onto the pitch, visibly angered by a contentious decision made by the referee. Eyewitness accounts revealed a scene of pandemonium, with some supporters breaching the field’s perimeter as officials struggled to regain control of the situation.

Social media platforms have flooded with disturbing videos and images depicting the aftermath of the crush, yet these materials have not been independently verified by the BBC.

In a statement, Prime Minister Bah assured the public that regional authorities were taking immediate steps to restore order, and he emphasized the need to support hospitals tending to countless injured individuals.

This tragic incident was part of a tournament that celebrated President Mamadi Doumbouya, who came to power following a coup in September 2021. The country has witnessed dire stadium tragedies in its past, most notably the 2009 massacre when security forces opened fire at an opposition rally, resulting in the deaths of 156 individuals.

The recent incident has once again underlined the urgency for addressing security in crowded public events in Guinea as the nation mourns the loss of lives in yet another devastating chapter in its history.