7 killed, 51 injured in Congo soccer stampede

Seven people were killed and 51 seriously injured in a stampede at a local soccer derby match in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the central African country's information minister said on Monday.

The deaths occurred on Sunday evening when police used tear gas to control crowds during a match in Lubumbashi, between the southern city's two biggest teams, Mazembe and Lupopo, Kikaya Bin Karubi said.

"Towards the end of the match Mazembe equalised and people started to throw things -- they even went down onto the pitch. The police intervened to protect the players," Kikaya said.

"They used tear gas. When the people saw this they tried to escape and some people were suffocated," he added. "We are still waiting for the final toll, but this morning it is still seven dead and 51 seriously injured."

The disaster follows a crush in Johannesburg's Ellis Park stadium which killed 43 people less than three weeks ago in South Africa's worst sporting accident.