Algiers: At least five people were killed in a stampede at a packed rap concert in the Algerian capital on Thursday night, a hospital source said. </s> ALGIERS (Reuters) - At least five people were killed in a stampede at a packed rap concert in the Algerian capital on Thursday night, a hospital source said.

Thousands had gathered at the concert of local rap star Abderraouf Derradji, known as “Soolking”, in a stadium in Algiers.

No further details were immediately available </s> At least five people were killed in a stampede at a rap concert in Algeria.

The concert and the stampede happened in Algiers, the Algerian capital, on Thursday night.

The BBC quoted a local news site, TSA, as stating that the victims included three males and two females.

Thousands of people had gathered at a stadium to see rapper Abderraouf Derradji, better known as Soolking, perform when the stampede broke out at one of the entrances.

Over a dozen people were also injured in the stampede.

Despite the stampede, the concert continued and was aired live on TV. </s> Five people were killed and 100 others injured in a stampede before a concert at a stadium in Algiers, the civil defence agency said on Friday.

The crash took place in a Stadium at the central Algiers before a concert by Algerian rapper, Abderraouf Derradji, also known as Soolking late Thursday.

The dead were two girls, two boys and a 21-year-old man, the civil defence added in a statement.

The concert went on as scheduled and was shown live on state Algerian television.

Around 45,000 fans, mostly teenagers, attended the concert, according to an Algerian news portal, Echorouk online.

Eyewitnesses said the scramble occurred when guards failed to direct people to entrances in an orderly manner. </s> ALGIERS: Five people were killed and 23 others injured in a stampede at a concert at a stadium in Algiers, the country’s state news agency APS reported on Friday, citing a hospital official.

 The crush took place at the August 20 Stadium in central Algiers before a concert by famous Algerian rapper Abderraouf Derradji, also known as Soolking, late on Thursday.

 The fatalities were three young women and two men, the director of an Algiers hospital, Abdelsalam Banana, said. He put their ages at 20 to 25 years.

 He added that the cause of their death would not be determined before post-mortem examinations are conducted on their bodies.

 Earlier on Friday, the civil defence agency said the stampede claimed five lives and injured around 100 others.

 The incident resulted from jostling by a large crowd of fans at a small entrance to the stadium where the concert was held, APS reported, citing witnesses.

 The concert was shown live on Algerian state television.

 Around 45,000 fans, mostly teenagers, attended the concert, according to Algerian news portal Echorouk online. — dpa </s> People are being tended by rescue workers during Algerian rap artist Abderraouf Derradji’s concert, known as Soolking, at a stadium in Algiers, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019. The concert caused some deaths and injuries in a stampede as fans thronged an entrance at the rap concert in the Algerian capital. (AP Photo/Fateh Guidoum)

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the cause of a stampede ahead of a rapper’s concert at an Algiers sports stadium that left five youths dead, including a 13-year-old.

The prosecutor’s office in Sidi M’Hamed said in a statement on Friday that an inquiry to determine the circumstances of the drama the night before was being opened.

The TSA online news site said that a stampede erupted at the entrance to the stadium that killed five people aged 13 to 22. The concert by Algerian rapper Soolking had not yet started.

The site quoted civil defense spokesman Khaled Benkhelfallah as saying that 86 others were rescued. He said he knew nothing of the circumstances that led to the stampede. </s> Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the cause of a stampede ahead of a rapper's concert at an Algiers sports stadium that left five young people dead, including a 13-year-old.

The prosecutor's office in Sidi M'Hamed said in a statement yesterday that an inquiry to determine the circumstances of the drama the night before was being opened.

The TSA online news site said that a stampede erupted at the entrance to the stadium that killed five people aged 13 to 22. The concert by Algerian rapper Soolking had not yet started.

The site quoted civil defense spokesman Khaled Benkhelfallah as saying that 86 others were rescued. He said he knew nothing of the circumstances that led to the stampede. </s> Image copyright Reuters Image caption Concert goers filmed the stretchers coming into the venue

At least five people have been killed in a stampede at a rap concert in the Algerian capital.

Thousands had gathered at a stadium in Algiers to see rapper Abderraouf Derradji, better known as Soolking, perform when a stampede is said to have broken out at one of the entrances.

Twenty-one people were injured in the stampede and taken to hospital, medical sources told local media outlets.

The concert then went ahead and was carried live on Algerian TV.

Local news site TSA reported that of the five young people killed, three were male and two female.

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Video footage posted on social media showed medics carrying a person believed to be a victim of the stampede on a stretcher outside the stadium.

A journalist who was at the concert, Linda Chebbah, told BBC Newsday that from the beginning it looked like something was wrong.

"There were way too many people for this stadium. On the pitch, people were jostling for space. There were so many people at the concert, that I'm not surprised an accident happened."

Algerian musician Soolking has not yet commented on the incident on social media. </s> Five young people were killed and dozens more injured in a stampede at a packed rap concert in the Algerian capital, a spokesman for the rescue services said Friday.

The stampede took place Thursday night as fans thronged an entrance of the August-20 Stadium where rapper Soolking was to perform.

The 29-year-old has won a huge number of fans in the North African country, his song "La Liberte" (Freedom) becoming a mainstay of anti-government protests that will enter their seventh month on Friday.

Captain Nassim Bernaoui of the civil protection unit told AFP there were five victims of the crush: "two young girls aged 19 and 22 and three boys aged 13, 21 and 16."

Dozens of people were lightly injured, Bernaoui said, 86 of whom were treated on the spot with another 32 taken to hospital.

Eight others were transferred to the Mustapha Pacha hospital in Algiers in critical condition, he added.

The APS news agency quoted the head of the hospital, Abdeslam Bennana, as saying the five killed in the stampede were two young men and three young women -- all in their early to mid-20s.

According to the agency, the incident took place at around 1900 GMT, adding that the concert went ahead as planned but with a 30-minute delay.

Algerian journalist Akram Kharief, who specialises in defence and security issues, said that thousands of fans began gathering outside the stadium from mid-afternoon.

More than 30,000 people were estimated to have attended the concert, APS reported.

"There were only four small entrances allowing people to enter one at a time," Kharief told AFP.

"This caused a stampede... and people fell" as they pushed to get inside before the start of the concert, he added.

France-based Soolking, whose given name is Abderraouf Derradji, shot to stardom last year and was to perform just a single concert in his home country Algeria.

He dedicated the song "La Liberte" to protesters engaged in months of anti-government demonstrations and it has been heard on the streets on a weekly basis during rallies.

Algerians launched the unprecedented protest movement in February, initially against a bid by veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to seek a fifth term in office.

Bouteflika eventually resigned in the face of mass protests but the movement has not let up, continuing to rally weekly on Fridays to demand a complete overhaul of the ruling regime.
At least five people are killed and 21 others injured in a stampede at a rap concert in Algiers, Algeria.