GUN ATTACK AT AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS

UPDATE (10.1)

Captain EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR says that the team will not compete after the Prime Minister ordered for them to return home.

UPDATE (10.1)

The death toll is now back to three. It's not that a once-dead man has come back to life because he wasn't so fond of heaven as he'd thought he might be, but because it was simply incorrect information. Just for confirmation, the goalkeeper is still in intensive care after a successful operation.

Also, the Togo players now seem determined to play in the Cup after all. They gathered yesterday and decided it would be cowardice to leave now. They say that they will playing 'like men' for the dead and injured, and also to not satisfy the rebels that attacked. The reason for the attack is still unclear.

UPDATE (09.1)

The death toll is now four. Togo have officially pulled out of the tournament.

The bus driver, assistant coach, a press officer and the second goalkeeper are said to now be dead. The Togo team are now trying to convince other nations to boycott the tournament, due to start on Sunday.

Absolutely horrible. Fucking unreal.

UPDATE (08.1)

The tournament will go ahead. The African Cup of Nations will not be cancelled due to today's shocking events. The Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) have taken responsibility for the attack on the Togolan team as they were making their journey to Angola for the tournament which starts on Sunday.

What has caught my attention most, however, is the comment made by the African Football Confederation (CAF). They said 'the CAF's regulations are quite clear, teams are required to travel by air, not road'. It seems to me like they are trying to avoid getting involved in any way by making such a defensive statement. The fact that the host nation has such dangerous conditions is a problem, a massive problem. And I believe this should not be neglected and something drastic should happen, whether that's under the orders of FIFA, the CAF or anybody else. It's life and death. Hurry up and deal with it before something similar happens.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

This is a special news report concerning the African players away from club duty to represent their countries in the African Cup of Nations tournament. The team bus of Togo was attacked by masked assailants in the Angolan province of Cabinda earlier today. The driver was tragically killed and nine others were injured.

The national side were travelling by coach from its base in the Republic of Congo. They were machine-gunned for about 15 or 20 minutes, and it lead to the death of the driver as well as six passengers being wounded, including two players. Goalkeeper KODJOVI OBILALE (GSI Pontivy) and defender SERGE AKAKPO (FC Vaslui) both took bullets and are currently being treated in two different hospitals.

It's been said that there was a lot of blood and the players are obviously extremely shaken. Togo will now look to pull out of the tournament for the safety of their players and staff, while the whole event itself is now in jeopardy. Man City striker ADEBAYOR left unhurt, as did Aston Villa midfielder SALIFOU. The respective clubs will be seeking the return of their players. Other nations are too being very cautious now and I certainly feel very anxious.

Sadly, violence and war has stepped into the world of football, regrettably in Africa once again. Question marks will be raised over the safety and stability of hosting the World Cup later this year in South Africa as well. I strongly hope that all players and staff are pulled out as soon as possible to absolutely prevent any further casualties, and I also wish for the wounded to recover and return to football in due course. Finally my thoughts are with the family and friends of the lost bus driver.