LAUNDA: Two members of Togo’s football squad died after Friday’s machine-gun attack on the team’s vehicles in northern Angola, an official said today, on the eve of the African Nations Cup kick-off.

The Togo assistant coach and the squad spokesman died in the assault by hooded gunmen who sprayed the buses with gunfire as they travelled through the northern Cabinda enclave. The attack was claimed by the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), which has been fighting for decades for the independence of the oil-rich territory.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) official, Kodjo Samlan, speaking from Cabinda, said that earlier reports that one of the bus drivers had been killed were incorrect. “Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete died at four o’clock this morning,” he said.

Players and others on board cowered under seats to escape the hail of bullets during the ambush. Squad member Thomas Dossevi said afterwards they had been “fired on like dogs.”

Football teams competing in the 22-day tournament expressed deep unease about the shooting but backed the decision to continue with Sunday’s opening match. African football officials were in Cabinda on Saturday to review security and probe the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Angola’s Prime Minister Paulo Kassoma was also set to meet CAF president Issa Haytou today. His government also vowed to “reinforce and strengthen all security mechanisms” for the games. Earlier, Togo captain and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor said he would convene a meeting for the squad would discuss whether to stay in the tournament.

“I think a lot of players want to leave,” he told BBC Radio Five Live. “They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything,” said Adebayor, who was shown on Angolan TV looking dazed and in tears shortly after the attack. “If the security is not sure then we will be leaving... I don’t think they will be ready to give their life.”

Two English Premiership players — Adebayor and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou — emerged unharmed from the attack, which came after the two buses crossed into Cabinda from Republic of Congo. FLEC said it had been aiming at their police escort.