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“A national football team is a driving force for a nation. And this evening, it was also our duty to be able to inform what is happening behind the scenes,” he added.
Even in defeat, Sebastien Desabre and his Democratic Republic of Congo players stood as heroes in the semifinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Before their 1-0 defeat to hosts Ivory Coast on Wednesday, Desabre and the players protested the armed violence that has for years marred the Eastern part of their country.
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The players and French coach Desabre held their right hands in front of their mouths and two fingers to their temples during a portion of Congo’s national anthem.
The players also wore black armbands as Ivory Coast ended their heroic journey at the Alessane Ouattara Stadium.
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11:18 - 29.01.2024
Throwing back to when Magogo purportedly called Desabre overrated
He explained that Desabre found a mature team that had just been at the 2017 AFCON finals and a good show in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
“It was a message to show support to the victims, to notify (people) that there are indeed things happening in the east and that it is necessary to shed light on it. People are disappointed about that, too,” Desabre said after his team's loss.
“A national football team is a driving force for a nation. And this evening, it was also our duty to be able to inform what is happening behind the scenes,” he added.
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10:00 - 08.02.2024
FOOTBALL Rio Ferdinand picks sides ahead of Nigeria versus Ivory Coast AFCON final
Rio Ferdinand applauds Nigeria's win over South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final
About the War
Eastern Congo has struggled with armed violence for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources while others try to defend their communities.
The armed groups have long waged campaigns of violence in the mineral-rich region and have been accused of mass killings.
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12:53 - 18.10.2023
Terrorist Attacks: Vipers' Yunus Sentamu mourns horrible murders of tourists in home town
The trio were murdered in cold blood, and their vehicle burnt in the Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday.
The conflict spiked in late 2021 when a rebel group called M23 resurfaced and initiated attacks to seize territory.
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