A tragic incident at a soccer stadium in Nzerekore, southeastern Guinea, on Sunday has resulted in a devastating loss of life. According to a group of local human rights organizations, at least 135 people were killed in the chaos, a figure that is significantly higher than the official toll of 56. The tragedy was triggered by a controversial refereeing decision during the match, which sparked violence among the crowd and led to the police deploying tear gas. As panic spread, spectators attempted to flee, resulting in a deadly stampede.
The human rights groups' higher death toll estimate is based on information gathered from various sources, including hospitals, cemeteries, local witnesses, and families of the victims. The groups reported that most of those killed were children under the age of 18, with over 50 people still unaccounted for.
The organizations have criticized security forces for their handling of the situation, alleging that the excessive use of tear gas and the focus on protecting officials contributed to the severity of the incident, with spectators' safety being compromised in the process. This disaster has left a community in mourning, with the full scale of the tragedy still unfolding.
