Guinea PM appeals for calm after dozens killed in football violence

Dozens of people were killed in violent clashes during a football match in Guinea on Sunday evening.

The violence broke out during a match between the Labe and Nzerekore football teams in Nzerekore, the second-largest city in the West African country.

While the exact death toll remains unclear, local hospital sources reported "dozens of fatalities." One doctor at the scene estimated that the number of dead could be "around 100."

Guinea's Prime Minister Bah Oury condemned the violence in a statement on X.

“The government regrets the incidents that marred the football match between the teams of Labe and Nzerekore this afternoon in Nzerekore," he said.

"The government is closely monitoring the situation and reiterates its call for calm so that hospital services are not hindered in providing first aid to the injured.”

More information will be released as it becomes available, he added.

According to the report, refereeing decisions that saw two Labe players receive red cards followed by a penalty against the same team triggered the violence.

The match was part of a tournament organised to honour Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea’s military leader who took power in 2021.

Nzerekore, with a population of around 200,000, is located 570 kilometers (354 miles) southeast of the capital Conakry.