At least 5 killed in riots before a soccer match in Egypt - Sources

Sunday 08-02-2015 09:33 PM
At least 5 killed in riots before a soccer match in Egypt - Sources

Zamalek football club fans gather outside a stadium in Cairo on Sunday February 8, 2015. ASWAT MASRIYA

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CAIRO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - At least five Egyptian soccer fans were killed and 20 others injured in clashes on Sunday night when the security forces barred them from entering a stadium to watch a match in the local league, security and health sources said.

Egyptian domestic soccer competitions have been held before very limited crowds since more than 70 fans were killed three years ago in the most deadly sports riots in the country's history in Port Said.

Security sources told Reuters at least five people were killed when riots erupted before the match between Zamalek and Enppi in the local soccer league in Cairo. They said police used tear gas in the operation.

Twenty were injured, the health ministry spokesman told Reuters by phone. He was not able to confirm whether there were dead or not.

"Huge numbers of Zamalek club fans came to Air Defense Stadium to attend the match ... and tried to storm the stadium gates by force, which prompted the troops to prevent them from continuing the assault on the stadium facilities," interior ministry said in a statement without giving more details.

(Reporting by Mostafa Hashem and Mahmoud Mourad; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

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