Eight people were killed during Senegal's football game league loving cup lastly inwards Dakar on Sabbatum inwards a stampede that broke out next clashes betwixt supporters that were met past times constabulary firing tear gas.
At to the lowest degree 49 were seriously injured inwards the confusion, the official APS word means reported along with the piece of occupation toll, requiring a volume deployment of firefighters in addition to ambulances.
An AFP journalist at the jibe described a stadium sum to bursting with people for the long-awaited clash betwixt local teams U.S. of A. Ouakam in addition to Stade de Mbour.
At 2-1 during extra time, U.S. of A. Ouakam supporters began throwing stones at Stade de Mbour fans, causing spectators to commence vacating their seats inwards a rush, the journalist said.
Part of a wall supporting bleachers seating fans from both sides in addition to thus collapsed, piece constabulary had begun firing tear gas in addition to panic spread inwards the stadium leading to a crush.
"All all of a abrupt when the wall fell... nosotros knew precisely that closed to of our ain had lost their lives because the wall savage direct onto people," said Cheikh Maba Diop, a witness who helped evacuate victims from the stadium in addition to lost a friend inwards the tragedy.
Also speaking at the scene, football game fan Mara Die Diouf said policing at the stadium had been inadequate.
"What I discovery terrible is that nosotros convey this variety of lastly inwards this variety of stadium hither where at that spot isn't plenty security," he said.
Diouf described constabulary retreating from an expanse separating the ii teams' supporters ane time projectiles began beingness thrown, triggering unsafe movements past times supporters unable to defend themselves.
AFP journalists at the scene saw asset covered inwards blood at the site, with a twain of spectacles in addition to have on strewn alongside broken pieces of concrete.
Campaigning for Senegal's legislative elections due on July xxx would on Dominicus live suspended inwards abide by for the victims, said a spokesman for President Macky Sall.
Sall too wanted "punishments serving every bit a warning," next the tragedy, spokesman El Hamidou Kasse said on TFM radio.
Senegal's security tape at large gatherings has been heavily criticised this twelvemonth afterward the piece of occupation of dozens of people at a religious retreat inwards Apr when a burn downward ripped through makeshift shelters.
AFP