Togo's soccer team have flown after the deadly ambush of their team bus but the sports minister said they hoped to return to Angola, where Africa's biggest sports tournament got under way.
Though overshadowed by the deaths of a Togo squad coach and a press officer in Friday's gun attack in Cabinda, the African Nations Cup began as planned in a 50,000-seat stadium in the Angolan capital Luanda.
A spectacular fireworks display lit up the purpose-built stadium, whose rims bend like the horns of the black sable antelope - Angola's national symbol.
Soccer fans observed a minute of silence as a sign of respect for the Togolese and their driver, who was killed at the scene, before hosts Angola and Mali kicked off the tournament.
Togo's players and head coach, though shocked by the attack, said they would remain in the competition to honour the dead, but their prime minister ordered the team home and sent a plane to bring them back.
It would be wrong to let the team stay and take part, Togo's Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo said.
Togo striker and captain Emmanuel Adebayor told reporters at Cabinda airport: ‘We have to mourn our dead, we're going back to do so, that's life and we're obviously very sad.’
Togolese Sports Minister Christophe Tchao added to the uncertainty by telling reporters in Cabinda that Togo had asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to find a way for the team to rejoin the competition later.
