Togo’s Soccer Team attacked In Angola

MANCHESTER CITY'S EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR UNINJURED THOUGH SHAKEN-CLUB

Gunmen ambushed the Togo national football team bus Friday en route to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

Togo striker Thomas Dossevi said the bus driver was killed in the attack and three others were injured. There has been no official confirmation of who died and who was injured.

An armed wing of a separatist group -- the Forces for Liberation of the State of Cabinda -- claimed responsibility for the attack. CNN cannot independently verify the claim.

Dossevi, 30, who plays for French league side Nantes, was on board the vehicle and told CNN "armed rebels" with AK-47s had opened fire.

"We were attacked by armed rebels who used Kalashnikovs. We had just passed the border and a couple of minutes later we were attacked from both sides.

"We hid below the seats -- we had police protection in front and behind but we were attacked from both sides. As soon as I heard the bullets I went to the floor... the attack lasted for 10-15 minutes.

"Everyone is at the hospital, the whole team, as everybody wants to be with the injured players. We're waiting to get police protection so we can go to the hotel and sleep," Dossevi said.

The side was crossing the border into the Angolan territory of Cabinda from the Republic of Congo to take part in the 2010 African Cup of Nations tournament, which starts on Sunday.

Cabinda is a disputed, oil-rich enclave separated from Angola by a strip of land belonging to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Romanian side FC Vaslui stated on its official Web site that its defender Serge Akakpo, was shot in the attack.

The club said the 22-year-old was out of danger after being treated by doctors. A statement on the club's web site read: "[He was] badly injured in an ambush in Angola. Serge Akakpo is now out of danger.

"Akakpo was struck by two bullets in the attack and has lost much blood. His condition was stabilized by doctors.

"FC Vaslui has been in touch with relatives of the player, who confirmed he has undergone surgery, which went very well."

It is understood that team captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who moved to Manchester City from Arsenal for $40m last July, escaped unhurt.

A statement on the official Web site of the English Premier League club read:

"Manchester City can confirm that striker Emmanuel Adebayor is uninjured after this afternoon's attack on the Togo team bus in Angola.

"Club officials have spoken with Adebayor and though shaken by the terrible events, he is unharmed."

Midfielder Moustapha Salifou, who plays in the English Premier League for Aston Villa, has also emerged without injury according to his team's official site.

Salifou spoke to his brother Eddie in Togo to reassure the family of his safety, a statement read.

Togo is scheduled to begin its cup campaign against Ghana on Monday although Dossevi told CNN he was not sure if the game would go ahead.

"We don't know about the game, we haven't thought about it as our thoughts are just with the teammates that are hurt and the bus driver that was shot dead.

"I believe it would be more intelligent to change the matches to other cities because it is dangerous here and there is not enough security."