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| A soldier stands next to the belongings of people involved in a deadly stampede in Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
At least 60 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in a stampede following a New Year's fireworks display in Abidjan's Plateau district, on Tuesday where the majority of those trampled upon and killed were young people between the ages of 8 and 15 years.
According to published reports, thousands gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium to see the fireworks and after the display, a large crowd were trying to leave the festivities at the same time as another large crowd was arriving. The flood of people leaving and arriving the stadium became a stampede which led to the deaths and injured.
The President, Alassane Ouattara has visited some of the wounded in hospital and he pledged that his government would pay for the costs of their medical treatment.
According to published reports, thousands gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium to see the fireworks and after the display, a large crowd were trying to leave the festivities at the same time as another large crowd was arriving. The flood of people leaving and arriving the stadium became a stampede which led to the deaths and injured.
The President, Alassane Ouattara has visited some of the wounded in hospital and he pledged that his government would pay for the costs of their medical treatment.
Ouattara's government organized the fireworks to celebrate Ivory Coast's peace, after several months of political violence in early 2011 when former President Laurent Gbagbo's refused to recognise Mr. Ouattara's victory in 2010 elections.
It was the second year that Abidjan had a New Year's fireworks display.
The night before the tragedy, the stadium hosted a concert by US performer Chris Brown.
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