Accra (Ghana): At least six people were crushed to death on Wednesday after a crowd of job seekers surged through stadium gates during a military recruitment exercise in the Ghanaian capital Accra, the army said.

"The unfortunate incident led to the death of six potential recruits and many others injured," it said in a statement.

The Ghana Armed Forces said the stampede took place around 6:20 am (GMT) when an unexpected surge of applicants "breached security protocols and rushed" through the gates of El-Wak Sports Stadium ahead of the scheduled screening.

In addition to normal military activities, soldiers in Ghana are also tasked with targeting illegal mining operations in the gold-rich west African country.

AFP