Latest news with #clashes
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Tottenham and Man United fans clash ahead of Europa League final
BILBAO, Spain — Clashes between fans of Tottenham and Manchester United have been reported ahead of the Europa League final in Spain on Wednesday. Confrontations took place in the center of Bilbao and in some nearby cities where many of the supporters were staying to avoid overpriced accommodation in the host city.
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Tottenham and Man United fans clash ahead of Europa League final
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Clashes between fans of Tottenham and Manchester United have been reported ahead of the Europa League final in Spain on Wednesday. Confrontations took place in the center of Bilbao and in some nearby cities where many of the supporters were staying to avoid overpriced accommodation in the host city. More than 50,000 English fans were expected in the Basque Country city of Bilbao, according to local officials. There were no reports of serious injuries in the confrontations, which happened mostly overnight as fans arrived. Images reproduced by Spanish media showed the supporters clashing on the streets of Bilbao, with some throwing tables, trash bins, bottles and other objects at each other. There were also reports of confrontations in San Sebastian and Santander, other Basque Country cities filled with English fans, many without tickets for the final. UEFA this week warned fans about buying unauthorized tickets that were unlikely to get them into the stadium. The clubs were each allocated 15,000 tickets in the 50,000-capacity venue, with some priced at just 40 euros ($45). Prices in the thousands of euros have been demanded on secondary ticketing websites. ___ AP soccer:
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Spanish media hit out at Man United and Tottenham fans for 'destroying the Bilbao streets' ahead of Europa League final - as Brits are spotted tearing down traffic lights and vomiting on the road after night of violence
Spanish media have hit out at Manchester United and Tottenham fans for being 'difficult to control' ahead of the Europa League final, amid reports of clashes between supporters in Bilbao. An expected total of 80,000 supporters have reportedly flown out to Spain for the game, despite the San Mames having a capacity of 52,114. Both sets of clubs were allocated 15,000 tickets for the final, with thousands of ticketless fans still opting to descend on the city. Spanish news agency EFE reported on Tuesday that 'some fans are already losing control' in the streets in the centre of Bilbao. The fans were claimed by the agency to have become 'difficult to control', despite the deployment of 2,000 police officers on the eve of the match. Supporters were claimed to have 'taken over urban furniture' in the city, with supporters having been pictured climbing onto traffic lights. The Bilbao-based newspaper El Correo reported that Tottenham fans had 'destroyed two traffic lights' and had 'raised them like a trophy'. Tottenham supporters had congregated in Pozas, located close to the stadium, while Man United fans were based in Plaza Nueva. Several Man United fans were reported to have punched another supporter in Plaza Nueva, leading to eight police officers being required to intervene. Tottenham supporters were claimed to have showered rivals with beer in another incident, while one fan was pictured vomiting in the street. A fan zone was reported to be calm in El Arenal, with a large police presence said to have been present. The Basque Government had earlier activated a 'protection plan', which has involved 'monitoring of the situation and responding to scenarios where potential emergencies are anticipated'. Footage on Tuesday night, showed supporters clashing in San Sebastian, 48 miles away from Bilbao. Information and video shared by Spanish publication El Diario Vasco claimed the situation escalated at around 9.20pm local time. One supporter was pictured vomiting in the street amid the festivities in the Basque city According to witness accounts, the incident started with shouts and insults, before one punch caused one fan to fall to the ground. A number of fans then appeared to begin throwing objects, with tables also overturned before police arrived, with officers remaining in the area. An ambulance was also reportedly dispatched to treat anyone necessary, but, after a few minor treatments, it was reportedly not deemed necessary to take anyone to hospital. A police spokesperson, however, confirmed on Wednesday morning that no arrests have been made in either Bilbao or San Sebastian. 'In relation to the incidents arising out of the celebration of the Europa League final we have no information on any serious occurrences,' the spokesperson said. 'No one has been seriously injured and there have been no arrests so far. 'It's true there was a fight in San Sebastian's Old Town which started for reasons that are still being investigated and which involved the throwing of missiles by two rival groups. 'But that incident didn't lead to any arrests.' The Basque Government reportedly deployed around 2,000 police officers ahead of the final The final will take place at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on Wednesday evening Both Man United and Tottenham fans have travelled to Bilbao hoping their teams can rescue dismal seasons by securing European glory. The two clubs head into the final amid disastrous Premier League campaigns, which see them lie 16th and 17th in the table. Tottenham would end a 17-year trophy drought with victory.
Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Syrian monitor says 4 Druze fighters killed in clash with security forces
Restoring and maintaining security remains one of the most pressing challenges for Syria's new authorities. (EPA Images pic) DAMASCUS : A Syrian war monitor today said at least four Druze fighters were killed in clashes with security forces loyal to the Islamist government who stormed a Damascus suburb. The incident follows a wave of sectarian bloodshed last month, the worst since Islamist-led forces overthrew long-time president Bashar al-Assad in December, with massacres taking place largely in the Alawite coastal heartland over several days. 'Heavy clashes erupted in Jaramana after security forces and affiliated gunmen stormed' areas of the mostly Druze and Christian suburb, after 'the circulation of an audio recording, attributed to a Druze citizen, containing religious insults', said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, said at least four Druze fighters were killed. A local news outlet meanwhile reported five local residents had been killed. The suburb is also home to families displaced by Syria's civil conflict which erupted in 2011. A Jaramana resident, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns, said the overnight clashes in one area of the suburb lasted around half an hour and were followed by intermittent gunfire and shelling. 'We were trapped in our homes as the sound of intermittent gunfire continued. The children have not gone to school and the streets of our neighbourhood are empty this morning,' the resident added. Jaramana's Druze religious leadership in a statement condemned 'the unjustified armed attack' that 'targeted innocent civilians and terrorised' residents. It said that the Syrian authorities bore 'full responsibility for the incident and for any further developments or worsening of the crisis'. An interior ministry statement early today emphasised 'the importance of adhering to public order and not being drawn into any behaviour… that would disrupt public security or threaten people or property'. 'Work is ongoing to identify' the individual behind the audio recording 'in order to bring them to justice'. Tensions began in Jaramana in late February with a fatal shooting at a checkpoint, followed a day later by clashes between security forces and local gunmen tasked with protecting the area, according to the observatory. Security forces deployed in the area in early March. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz at that time warned the new Islamist-led authorities not 'to harm the Druze' minority, which is also spread across Lebanon and Israel. Restoring and maintaining security across Syria remains one of the most pressing challenges for the new authorities after Assad's overthrow.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Army, paramilitaries clash near Sudan capital
KHARTOUM: Clashes erupted on Tuesday between the Sudanese regular army and rival paramilitaries in Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city, with the army calling the fighting part of a "large-scale" offensive. An AFP correspondent at the scene said explosions rang out in the area, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had retreated after losing control of the Sudanese capital in March. The army said its operation which began on Monday was aimed at driving the paramilitaries from their last positions in Khartoum state. "We are pressing a large-scale operation and we are close to clearing the whole of Khartoum state from dirty thugs," military spokesman Nabil Abdallah said in a statement. The war since April 2023 has pitted the army headed by Sudan's de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the RSF under his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The fighting comes as both the army and the RSF are attempting to establish their own governments. On Monday, army chief Burhan has tapped a former United Nations official, Kamil Idris, as a new prime minister -- a move seen by analysts as an attempt to gain international recognition and present a functioning civilian-led government amid the ongoing war. The African Union on Tuesday welcomed the appointment, calling it "a step toward inclusive governance" and expressing hope that the move will "restore constitutional order and democratic governance in Sudan". The RSF announced in April it would form a rival administration, a few weeks after signing a charter in Kenya with a coalition of military and political allies. In recent weeks, the RSF has staged multiple drone attacks on areas around the country, including Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, the seat of the army-aligned government since the war began. Omdurman, which is situated just across the River Nile from Khartoum, has been a focal point of fighting in recent days. This week, a days-long electricity blackout hit the whole Khartoum state, following drone strikes blamed on the RSF on three power stations in Omdurman. Medical charity Doctors without Borders (MSF) said on Sunday that the power outages had disrupted health services at the city's major hospitals. "The magnitude of these drone attacks represents a major escalation in the conflict, with alarming implications for civilian protection," the UN's human rights expert on Sudan, Radhouane Nouicer, said in a statement on Monday. "The recurrent attacks on critical infrastructure place civilian lives at risk, worsen the humanitarian crisis, and undermine basic human rights." The army has meanwhile launched attacks in areas controlled by the RSF in the country's south, trying to claim territory and cut off rival supply lines. The Emergency Lawyers, a monitoring group which has documented atrocities on both sides, on Sunday accused the army of killing 18 civilians, including four children, in an attack on Al-Hamadi village in South Kordofan state last week. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 13 million and sparked what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The conflict has carved up Sudan, with the army controlling the north, east, and centre, while the RSF dominates nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
