DORTMUND, GERMANY: Spain international Marc Bartra was injured in the explosion which hit the Borussia Dortmund team bus on Tuesday and saw their Champions League game against Monaco called off, the club confirmed.
The 26-year-old center-back injured his hand and was taken to hospital for treatment, said Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
The quarter-final first leg was rescheduled for 1845 local time (1645 GMT) on Wednesday.
“There has been an attack with explosives on the team bus,” said Watzke.
“The whole team is in a state of shock, you can’t get pictures like that out of your head.
“I hope the team will be in a position to be able to compete tomorrow on the pitch.
“In a crisis situation like this, Borussia pulls together.”
The explosions came shortly after 1900 local time on Wittbraeucker Strasse, around ten kilometers (6 miles) from the Dortmund stadium Signal Iduna Park.
According to the police, three explosive devices were detonated near the team bus while it was en route. Several of the vehicles’ window panes were broken.
In the aftermath of the explosions, the Dortmund team was taken back to the team hotel.
“For security reasons, we do not want to announce the next steps in the procedure,” added Watzke.
With the 80,000-capacity stadium filling up just before the scheduled kick-off time, fans were told to stay in the ground until police signalled it was safe for them to leave.
“All our support for Marc Bartra, BVB and all their fans,” tweeted Barcelona, Bartra’s former club, before their Champions League quarter-final against Juventus on Tuesday.
An attack of this nature is unpredecented in German club football.
The national team, which included some current Dortmund players, was involved in the terror attack in the November 13 terror attacks on Paris in 2015.
The German team spent the night at the Stade de France, on police advice, following their friendly defeat to hosts France and flew home the next morning.
Four days later the Germany-Netherlands friendly in Hanover was called off at short notice through fear of a terror attack.
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Dortmund’s Bartra injured in team bus explosion
Dortmund’s Bartra injured in team bus explosion
South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
- South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
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