Mexico City.- Two people have lost their lives and some 80 have been injured due to a stampede that occurred this Thursday near the Palm Trunk stadium, in the Iraqi city of Basra, reports the Al Jazeera channel, citing the country’s Ministry of the Interior.
The stampede came as thousands of Iraqi fans gathered outside the stadium awaiting the Gulf Nations Cup final, in which the Iraqi team will face Oman. The start of the match is scheduled for 19:00 (local time).
Following the news, the nation’s Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al Sudani arrived in Basra for an emergency meeting with local officials.
According to the Iraqi Football Federation, 90% of the tickets for the match have already been sold, causing outrage among many fans, especially those who came from other provinces of the country.
Meanwhile, the authorities are considering the possibility of postponing the match or transferring it to a neutral country if the deaths are confirmed, details Al Jazeera with reference to sources within the Government.
