The Togo national team bus has been machine-gunned by Angolan rebels on the Congolese border ahead of the African Cup of Nations.

Two players are reported to be injured and a Togolese sports ministry spokesman in Lome said that the bus driver had been killed in the attack. The Sparrow Hawks are in the country ahead of the African tournament, which gets under way on Sunday.

"The Angolan driver was killed on the spot," the Togolese official told Reuters.

"I am fine but several players are in a bad way," FC Nantes striker Thomas Dossevi told Radio Monte Carlo."We are still at hospital. We were attacked like dogs and had to hide for 20 minutes under the seats to avoid the bullets. We were shot, although we had two police coaches on our sides. There are two injured players and also some staff."

Giving more details on the attack, he said: ''We had just crossed the border five minutes before, we were surrounded by police buses, one in front of us another behind. Everything was fine and then there was a powerful burst of gunfire.

''Everyone threw themselves under the seats and tried to protect themselves but some couldn't escape the bullets. It lasted a good 15 minutes, the police fired back but really, it was hard to handle and it still is now. I'm shocked. When we got off the bus we were asking ourselves why us and not others? We were asking ourselves what had happened, we were crying and thanking God.''

The two players injured are reported to be GSI Pontivy goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé and Vaslui FC defender Serge Akakpo. Others reported injured are an assistant coach, a doctor and a journalist who was following the team. Alaixis Romao, the Grenoble player, told RMC he could count seven people injured.

According to RMC, the attack happened around 3.15pm just after players entered Cabinda, one of the four host venues of the African Cup of Nations. Rebels have been fighting for independence in the oil-rich area of the country.

The incident looks set to place in jeopardy the chances of Togo remaining in the country and Romao admits the players feared the worst and thinks Togo are now likely to pull out. "We are not thinking about possible actions yet, but it's true no one wants to play," he said. "We are not capable. Before everything we have to think of the health of our injured. There was a lot of blood on the floor. We haven't had a lot of updates about their health since they were dispatched to local hospitals. In this case, we think of families, of the people we love because we really could have died there."

Midfielder Richmond Forson believes the number of injuries could have been much worse had the gunmen not originally fired on the wrong bus.

''It was the bus carrying our baggage which was in front of us which they fired on the most,'' he told Canal Plus. ''They thought we were in the bus in front.

''Fortunately for us. That's what saved us. Then they fired on our driver and those who were in front. The windscreen was shattered by the first bullets. It's disgusting to take bullets for a football match.''

Emmanuel Adebayor was unhurt in the attack, Manchester City have confirmed. A statement posted on City's official website 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.''

Aston Villa also confirmed that their 26-year-old midfielder Moustapha Salifou was ''shaken but okay'' following the attack.

Togo have withdrawn from the African Nations Cup in Angola following the machine gun attack on their team bus on Friday, with the death toll now understood to have risen to three.

The team bus was attacked by rebels after crossing the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda ahead of the tournament.
There have been conflicting reports about the identity of those shot, but it now appears two players were injured and Togo assistant coach Abalo Amelete and a spokesperson, Stanislas Ocloo, have died. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale is thought to have been taken to South Africa for treatment and there have been suggestions that he may have also died.

There have been unverified reports that the bus driver died in the attack but Kodjo Samlan, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) official, confirmed that Ocloo and Amnalate had been killed.

"Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete died at four o'clock this morning," he said.

Reports in France suggested early on Saturday that the players had taken to decision not to take part in the competition, which starts on Sunday, and midfielder Alaixys Romao has now confirmed the they will not take part.

"We're waiting for the plane to return to Lome," the Grenoble player told L'Equipe. "We're also talking to the other teams in our group to try to convince them to boycott the competition, too."

Coach Hubert Velud claims the authorities should seriously consider whether to call off the tournament after the attack.

Angola insist their country is committed to hosting a secure tournament and said they would step up security.

Officials are set to hold a meeting with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) today and Velud believes the future of the competition should be called into question.

"We can at least pose ourselves that question," Velud told French radio station RMC on Saturday morning. "It's an act of barbarism while we are here to celebrate African football.

"We left the hospital a short time ago to come to the centre for the teams in the competition. We stayed in the hospital a long time so that we could be very united.

"In these situations, you become a bit paranoid, you doubt everything. We don't feel that the authorities are taking this very seriously.

"I don't mean that they want to hush up the matter, but almost. What will happen I don't know. We will have a meeting with the players and technical staff to take a decision."

While Velud was disappointed with the way the authorities are dealing with the incident, he was full of praise for the army.

"What's sure is that the army saved our lives," he said. "Without them, the rebels would have destroyed us because we didn't have any defence. And I wouldn't be here to speak to you now.

"I was hit in the arm but it's nothing compared to what happened to the assistant coach, who took a bullet in the stomach, as did the press attache.

"Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale took one in the kidney. My case is minor in comparison to them, but we are all in shock because it's an act of war. There was a lot of blood and fear in the bus. I'm thinking of people I know but there is also a huge thought for the driver, who was killed."

Togo 'Unanimously Decide' To Play African Nations Cup
The Sparrow Hawks vow to play on...

twist, Togo's football team has now decided to stay on and play in the African Nations Cup.

Despite calls from their own government to withdraw, the team have apparently made up their minds to continue with the tournament. Speaking to the AFP, Thomas Dossevi said, "We are all heartbroken, it is no longer a party, but we want to show our national colours, our values and that we are men".

"It was a decision taken nearly unanimously by the team which met during the night after having been reassured by the Angolan authorities".

Meanwhile, Alaixys Romao told L'Equipe, "We have just had a meeting of the whole delegation and we will be on the pitch on Monday to face Ghana."

All the teams have been promised increased security for the tournament following the attacks.