Over 50 people dead after soccer stampede in Guinea

The West African country’s prime minister, Amadou Oury Bah, pleaded for peace after at least 56 people died on Sunday in a stampede during a soccer match in Nzerekore. Local governments and law enforcement call on residents and religious leaders to be peaceful, at least to allow hospitals to function, Bah wrote on social media. Guinea’s junta government confirmed the death toll during a newscast on Monday.

What caused the stampede? An unfavorable referee decision sparked protests among spectators, local media reported, citing a government statement. Fans started throwing stones and that evolved into the fatal stampede, the statement said. Bah promised that more information would be provided after the investigation into the violence is complete.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Oduah’s report for more detail on Guinea’s coup and new military government.