Dozens killed in violent clashes at football match in Guinea - VIDEO

At least 100 people were killed Sunday in violent clashes between fans at a football match in N'Zerekore, Guinea's second-largest city, according to hospital sources.

Doctors described horrific scenes of carnage, with bodies lining the hospital hallways and the morgue completely full, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"There are bodies lined up as far as the eye can see in the hospital. Others are lying on the floor in the hallways. The morgue is full," one doctor said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

He said "there are around 100 dead", with bodies filling the local hospital and morgue. Another doctor said there were "dozens of dead".

Videos circulating on social media showed scenes of chaos in the street outside the match and numerous bodies lying on the ground.

Dozens killed in clashes between rival fans at #football match in #Guinea pic.twitter.com/C2Bx8nLgru

— News.Az (@news_az) December 2, 2024

Angry demonstrators also vandalised and set fire to the N'Zerekore police station, according to witnesses.

"It all started with a contested decision by the referee. Then fans invaded the pitch," a witness told AFP, asking that his name be withheld for safety reasons.

Local media said the match was part of a tournament organised in honour of Guinea's junta leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup and has installed himself as president.

Such tournaments have become common in the West African nation as Doumbouya eyes a potential run in presidential elections expected next year and political alliances form.

Doumbouya seized power by force in September 2021 by overthrowing President Alpha Conde, who had placed the then-colonel in charge of an elite force tasked with protecting the head of state from such coups.

Under international pressure, he pledged to hand power back to a civilian government by the end of 2024 but has since made clear he will not.

The military leader "exceptionally" promoted himself to the rank of lieutenant general in January and last month he elevated himself to the rank of army general.

Doumbouya has presided over an ongoing crackdown on dissent, with many opposition leaders detained, brought before the courts or forced into exile.

News.Az