Some 135 people were killed in a crash at a football stadium in southeastern Guinea on Sunday, a local group of human rights groups said, giving an estimated toll more than twice the official death toll of 56.
A controversial refereeing decision sparked crowd violence and tear gas firing by police during the match in the town of Nzerekore, leading to a deadly melee as spectators tried to flee.
A collective of human rights groups in the Nzerekore region said Tuesday that its higher estimate was based on information from the hospital, cemeteries, witnesses at the stadium, victims’ families, mosques, churches and the local press.
“We now estimate that 135 people died at the stadium, mainly children under the age of 18,” the collective said in a statement, adding that more than 50 people were still missing.
The group criticized security forces for excessive use of tear gas and for prioritizing the protection of officials over spectators.
He also said vehicles carrying officials and others fleeing the stadium hit spectators trying to flee what he described as a crowded venue whose gate was blocked by security forces.
She said she held responsible the tournament organizers as well as Guinea’s ruling junta, which provided technical and financial support to the event held in honor of military leader Mamady Doumbouya.
The government, which promised Monday to open an investigation, did not react to the group’s statement.
Senegal
