DHAKA: At least 40 people have been killed and dozens injured in a stampede and clashes between police and supporters of Egypt’s Zamalek football club at a game in Cairo.

According to witness accounts, police tried to set up barricades and used tear gas to disperse football fans trying to force their way into the army-owned stadium in the city’s northeast on Sunday.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry said the clashes occurred after supporters of Zamalek, known as Ultras White Knights, tried to attend the game without buying tickets, reports the Aljazeera.

“Huge numbers of Zamalek club fans came to Air Defence Stadium to attend the match and tried to storm the stadium gates by force, which prompted the troops to prevent them from continuing the assault,” the ministry said.

The fans posted on their group’s official Facebook page that the violence began because authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in.

They said that sparked pushing and shoving that later saw police officers fire tear gas and birdshot.

BDST: 1020 HRS, FEB 09, 2015