The Togo football team were attacked last Friday
(8 January) in Angola's northern province of Cabinda as the eyes of the world turn to the Angolan hosts of this year's African Cup of Nations.
Two squad members and the bus driver died, and another seven people were injured when the players from Togo were ambushed as they entered Cabinda. The team has had to withdraw from the tournament to mourn their fallen colleagues.
An offshoot of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. FLEC is a separatist group that has been fighting for the liberation of the northern enclave for the last 30 years.
FLEC claims that it was targeting the Angolan security forces that accompanied the Togo team.
In the lead-up to the Cup the Angolan government stated that the rebellion was at an end and the country was safe enough to host the tournament.
£1 billion has been spent on infrastructure within the country to prepare for the expected influx of visitors.
The country claimed independence from Portugal in 1975, but was torn by civil war until 2002 when a ceasefire was agreed.
Cabinda, the detached enclave where the attack happened, holds half of the nation's lucrative oil fields. It is located to the north of the country and is separated from it by part of D R Congo.
Lynne Brown, a BMS worker in the country, asked an Angolan
friend about what these developments mean for the country.
They said: “It's very difficult that this has happened and could lead to further problems
for the country. I understand why the Togo team left – how could they play
without their footballers? But this country is so used to bloodshed. People die
like chickens. It's not right.
“There has always been conflict in Cabinda. They continue to revolt because
they want independence from Angola. A minister went there a while ago. He came
back and told the president that all was ok now, but it wasn't a true peace.”
Fiona Welsh, another BMS worker in Angola (but currently in the UK) added, "The football tournament is a really big deal for the Angolan people who have seen a lot of change, especially in the cities in the last few years of redevelopment.
"For something like this to happen at the start of the tournament is a real blow. I was looking forward to people around the world hearing about Angola in a positive light as historically they have only heard about the war and problems caused by landmines."
"Amazing as it may sound, the atmosphere has not been affected as much as those outside the country may think. Local organisers and fans have been both remarkably friendly and determined to make sure the emphasis remains on the football'. (Matthew Kenyon in Cabinda, guardian.co.uk, 12/01/2010)