36 killed in stampede at Mali stadium: official

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: AFP

A stampede in a Mali stadium at the end of a sermon by a renowned imam killed at least 36 people on Monday night, an official at the interior and civil protection ministry told AFP.

The stampede occurred as the crowd swarmed to get close to imam Osman Madani Haidara as he delivered blessings on a Muslim holiday in the packed 25,000-seat Modibo Keita stadium in the capital Bamako.

The majority of the victims were women who waited in the front of the crowd hoping to be touched by the religious leader and receive healing and protection, a source said. Another 70 people were injured.

Civil protection services quickly arrived on the scene and were backed up by emergency services from Keita, 15 kilometres from the capital. The wounded were mostly taken to the Bamako's main hospital.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ivAIYB182t1A0369rAJYdo_gfH6w?docId=CNG.aa651167cd0af745b3cb395cf1d402e3.b41

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Mass hysteria can kill.

[Taverner]

1. This is why it is nice that certain city planners are 'educated in their profession'

Rather than Joe Schmo...

[BlueJazz]

2. *** works in mysterious ways.

[tabatha]

3. Sad.

On another note, there are lots of great musicians from Mali.

I have had Tinariwen on as background music for the last several days. Some of the older musicians in the group actually fought in the resistance in their youth for a short while. Now they are peaceful musicians who love the desert. SO the music is kind of apt.

The younger bassist is top notch.