In a devastating turn of events, a soccer match in southern Guinea ended in tragedy Sunday, leaving 56 people dead and dozens more injured. The chaos unfolded at a stadium in Nzérékoré, where a tournament match escalated into a deadly stampede.

The event was attended by Guinea’s military leader, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a coup in 2021. The tournament was seen by many as a high-profile effort to solidify military influence in the politically volatile nation.

According to eyewitnesses, tensions erupted in the 82nd minute of the game after a controversial red card decision. Angered fans began throwing stones onto the field, prompting police to intervene with tear gas in an attempt to quell the unrest.

What followed was sheer panic.

“The stone-throwing started, and the police fired tear gas,” one witness told Reuters. “In the rush and scramble that followed, I saw people fall. Girls and children were trampled underfoot. It was horrible.”

As gas filled the stadium, fans surged toward the exits, triggering a stampede that crushed dozens. Victims, many of them children, were caught in the chaos. Rescue workers and first responders struggled to navigate the congested and chaotic scene.

In the aftermath, Guinea’s Prime Minister Bernard Goumou issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, pledging a full investigation into the incident. “Regional authorities are working to restore calm and serenity among the population,” the statement read.

However, critics have been quick to point fingers. The National Alliance for Change and Democracy, an opposition political group, condemned the event, accusing the government of prioritizing political propaganda over public safety.

“This tournament was nothing more than a military publicity stunt,” a spokesperson for the group said. “Now, we have 56 lives lost because the government chose spectacle over safety.”

Guinea has been under military rule since 2021, when Doumbouya, a former special forces commander, led a coup to overthrow President Alpha Condé. Since then, the country has been gripped by political unrest, with critics accusing the junta of consolidating power through public events and military parades.

Sunday’s tragedy is the deadliest sports-related disaster in Guinea’s recent history. It underscores the fragile state of a nation still grappling with the aftershocks of its military coup and deep-seated political instability.

As families mourn their loved ones, many are demanding accountability and questioning whether the government can maintain control in a nation teetering on the brink of further unrest. For now, the stadium in Nzérékoré stands silent—a grim reminder of a night when sport turned into catastrophe.

Watch the shocking footage below: