Toronto, Canada – CABINDA, Angola (Reuters) - African Nations Cup matches will be played in Cabinda despite Friday's attack on the Togo team bus in the province, organizers CAF said.
"After an extraordinary meeting at the airport of Cabinda, the (CAF) president and the members of the executive committee present have decided in perfect coordination with the Angolan authorities to maintain the matches of Group B in Cabinda," CAF said in a statement on Saturday.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it would understand if Togo, who have been drawn in Group B, decided to leave the tournament after three people were killed by gunmen in the attack as the team were traveling to the finals.
A Togolese minister said earlier on Saturday the government had decided to pull the national team out of the tournament. The other three teams in the group -- Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso -- confirmed they would take part in the finals.
Cabinda is scheduled to host six group games -- five in Group B and one Group A game between Mali and Malawi -- as well as one of the quarter-finals on January 24.
A CAF spokesman said the tournament would kick off as planned with hosts Angola playing Mali in Luanda on Sunday.
(Editing by Ken Ferris)
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.