BASRA-(MaraviPost)-At least two people have died, 80 others suffocated and injured during a stampede at Palm Trunk Stadium in the southern city of Basra during the Arabian Gulf Cup final between Iraq and Oman.
An interior ministry official confirmed the toll in a statement shortly after the tragic incident on Thursday, January 19.
The Iraqi Football Federation indicated that about 90 percent of the tickets were already sold ahead of the kick off which upset many Iraq football fans, especially those who had come from other provinces.
This resulted in thousands of fans without tickets gathering outside the 60000-seat stadium in Iraq’s main southern city of Basra from dawn in the hope of watching the rare home international match which was due to start at 12:30 AM.
This was the first time for the Middle Eastern country to host a regional football tournament in 40 years due to decades of sanctions and political instability, Al Jazeera reported.
According to Basra governor Asaad Abdulameer Aleidani, the final match could be moved to a neighbouring nation following the unfortunate incident .
Abdulameer Aleidani also revealed that negotiations are underway with the Gulf Cup Federation over how to ensure security at the stadium.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani has arrived in the city to meet security officials and regional leaders in the aftermath of the stampede.
