Kinyarwanda
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Congo Brazza: At least 37 deaths during army recruitment.
At least 37 young Congolese were killed on the night of November 20, 2023, in a stampede during an army recruitment operation in the capital Brazzaville, local authorities announced on Tuesday, November 21. This number could get heavier because many injuries are in critical condition.
The tragedy occurred after 11 p.m. at the Michel d'Ornano stadium, in the heart of the city, according to several witnesses.
This site was chosen to accommodate young people aged 18 to 25, candidates for recruitment into the army. Since last week, the Congolese army has announced the strengthening of its workforce by hiring 1,500 new agents.
Tired of waiting
According to testimonies, on Monday, things dragged on all day. Late at night, the candidates were still on site. Tired of waiting outside, they forced open the gate of the site and some collapsed under another. Some walked on top of each other for several minutes.
Images posted on social networks show several bodies in the departments of the municipal morgue, but also many injured people admitted to the university hospital or even to the military hospital.
Emergency services report 37 deaths. And the results are still provisional. It could get heavier because there are many injured are in critical condition.
