At least 36 dead in Mali stadium stampede -radio

BAMAKO, (Reuters) – At least 36 people were killed in  an overnight stampede at a stadium in Mali’s capital, state  radio reported today.
Thousands of people had gathered at the Modibo Keita stadium  in Bamako to listen to an Islamic preacher, who was speaking as  part of the Muslim festival of Maouloud, when the stampede  started.
There was no official explanation for the stampede but one  witness told Reuters it started when people surged forward to  touch the preacher for good luck and the toll could be as high  as 44.
An official involved in the organisation of the event said  nearly all those killed were women.
Crowds of people were gathering at the hospital on Tuesday  morning to identify the bodies.
At least 26 people were killed during Maouloud last year in  a stampede near a mosque in Mali’s northern desert city of  Timbuktu.