Police in Angola are holding two suspects in connection with the shooting of the Togolese football team, which left at least two people dead, Angolan state media said today. Two suspects were arrested in Cabinda, an Angolan enclave inside the Democratic Republic of Congo, close to where Friday's attack took place, according to a national radio report. "Two people have been captured, when we have more information, we will pass it on to the public," Antonio Nito, Cabinda's provincial attorney general, told the station.
The attack occurred as the team bus headed into the oil-rich province of Cabinda from the Republic of Congo where they were to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which opened on Sunday. Togo's assistant coach Amalete Abalo and the team's media spokesman Stanislas Ocloo died in Friday's attack. Nine other people were injured including Togo's reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, who was flown to South Africa for surgery.
The Togolese team withdrew from the tournament following the attack and left Angola on Sunday night to return home. A splinter group of the independence movement FLEC (Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Angola) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Cabinda has been the scene of a long-running independence struggle. A peace deal was signed in 2006 but low-level insurgency continues in more remote areas of the province.
Calls to scrap the cup matches scheduled to be held in Cabinda, one of four host locations for the three-week competition, have been dismissed by the Angolan government, despite claims by FLEC that they may strike again. Burkina Faso and Ghana are due to play the first game in the provinces Chiazi Stadium on Tuesday. * AFP