N’ZEREKORE, Dec 2: A deadly clash erupted during a football match on Sunday in N’Zerekore, Guinea’s second-largest city, resulting in over 100 fatalities. Hospital sources reported harrowing scenes of mass casualties, with bodies piling up in both the local hospital and morgue.

According to medical staff at the local hospital, the situation is dire, with approximately 100 people dead and the morgue filled beyond capacity. One anonymous doctor described the scene as “bodies lined up as far as the eye can see,” with more bodies lying in the hallways. Another doctor confirmed that “dozens of dead” were reported, though the exact toll is still unclear.

Videos circulating on social media, which AFP could not independently verify, show chaotic scenes outside the stadium, with multiple bodies visible in the streets. Witnesses also reported that demonstrators vandalized and set fire to the N’Zerekore police station in the aftermath of the violence.

The violence reportedly began following a controversial decision made by the referee during the match. According to an anonymous witness, the decision sparked protests from the fans, who subsequently stormed the pitch. “It all started with a contested decision by the referee. Then fans invaded the pitch,” the witness said.

The ill-fated match was part of a football tournament organized in honor of Guinea’s military leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, who came to power through a coup in 2021. The tournament was seen as part of Doumbouya’s political efforts to solidify his authority. These types of events have become more frequent in Guinea as Doumbouya eyes a possible bid for the presidency in the 2025 elections.

Doumbouya’s rise to power followed the September 2021 military coup that ousted then-President Alpha Conde. While initially promising a return to civilian rule by the end of 2024, Doumbouya has since suggested he will not honor this commitment. He has advanced through the military ranks, from lieutenant general to army general, and has led a crackdown on political opposition, with many political leaders either detained, tried, or forced into exile.

Guinea, a resource-rich country, continues to struggle with widespread poverty and political instability. The country has long been under authoritarian rule, and the rise of military leaders like Doumbouya is part of a troubling trend across West Africa, with countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger also experiencing military takeovers in recent years.