Africa Nations Cup Starts in Angola

Africa’s biggest soccer tournament – the Africa Cup of Nations kicked off Sunday as planned despite last weeks gun attack on Togo’s national team that left three members of its delegation dead.

The three week tournament opened with an electrifying match between hosts Angola and Mali in the Luanda. The match ended in a 4-4 draw.

The Togolese team was travelling from a training camp in Congo Brazzaville to the Angolan enclave of Cabinda when their bus was ambushed by separatist rebels from the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC).

The team’s assistant coach, media officer and driver were killed in the attack that also left seven others injured. The Togolese government then withdrew the team’s participation in the tournament.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos condemned the attacks during the opening ceremony but the rebels have warned of more incidents if the government refuses to negotiate with them.

Claiming responsibility for the attack, FLEC said their aim was at the Angolan armed forces and that they had anything against Togo.

Angola has invested about $1 billion to host the tournament, which is expected to help improve the country’s reputation after 27 years of civil war. FLEC has been fighting for the secession of the oil-rich enclave for decades. [ER].