The Cup of Nations

Unless you've been living under a rock lately there is no possible way that you could have missed the headlining news about Africa's Cup of Nations. But in case you missed out somewhere I'm here to give you the basics and educate the masses on this headline!

The 8th of January saw gunmen on the bus carrying the Togo team and wounding team players. Rebels who have been fighting for the region's independence later said they had carried out the attack. All along the organisers said this tournament would be going ahead. The incident has been called an act of Terrorism.

"We were machine-gunned, like dogs," he said. "At the border with Angola - machine-gunned! I don't know why. I thought it was some rebels. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes, trying to get away from the bullets." Thomas Dossevi said to the BBC. By the 9th of the month Togo had pulled out of the Cup and Angola was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou - were shot at by a group of gunmen as they travelled by bus from the Republic of Congo into Cabinda as we heard over the weekend and people all over the world looked on in shock. Although Adebayor escaped injury he was clearly shaken by the incident.

Angola have been reported as having spent as much as £1 billion on this biannual Cup with four new stadiums in Luanda, Lubango, Benguela and Cabinda. Along with new airports, roads, hotels and upgraded hospital facilities. Now that the Cup has started and matches have begun Angola are still in the headlines and not for their 4-4 draw against Mali.

State media says two have now been arrested following the attacks on Togo's Team. Angolan media quoted officials saying two Flec fighters were arrested near the site of the attack. Togo's team wanted to play on but their Government ordered them to withdraw from the cup.

"Our decision to withdraw the team is really based on the security consideration and what we believe is a mismanagement of what has happened," Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo told the BBC's World Today programme.

The match between Togo and Ghana has been called off. Togo's assistant coach and media spokesman were killed in the attack along with the team's bus driver. Several others were injured, including goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale who was taken to South Africa for treatment.

Mali observing a minute silence ahead of their 4-4 draw against Angola.

Today Togo were to play against Ghana, a game which will not be going ahead. Huongbo admitted there was confusion but said there was no chance of Togo fulfilling Monday's match against Ghana or any other games in the tournament. Togo are now pretty much disqualified, if they do not play against Ghana in todays group match. So it looks like Togo will not be in the Cup of Nations this year.

"It is not my pleasure we withdraw, we don't want to play into the hands of the terrorists, but we have a responsibility to protect our people." Huongbo