The Hawks yesterday decided to pull out of the tournament in Angola as the death toll from the attack reportedly rose to three.

Togo's team bus came under machine gun fire on Friday just after it had crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda.

Togo were due to face Ghana in their opening Group B match tomorrow in

Cabinda, but the nation's government decided to withdraw the team.

Togo government spokesperson Pascal Bodjona told reporters: "We can't continue in these dramatic circumstances in the African Nations Cup. It was necessary because our players are in shock."

However, there appears to have been a u-turn after midfielder Alaixys Romao said Togo had agreed to play on in memory of the dead and injured.

Romao told L'Equipe: "We have all just met and we are ready to face Ghana on Monday."

The Grenoble player added: "People died for this African Nations Cup, others are injured.

"We cannot abandon them and go like cowards.

"If we stay here it is for them. But also to not satisfy the rebels.

"Our government does not necessarily agree with us but we are all determined to play in this tournament.

"The decision was taken unanimously."

When contacted in the early hours, a spokesman for the African Football Federation (CAF) could not confirm the reports, saying: "I don't know, I am not aware so far.

"I've not heard any communication."

The apparent u-turn comes hours after CAF president Issa Hayatou insisted any decision to withdraw would be accepted although he did not officially confirm Togo's departure.

Hayatou met with Angola president Jose Eduardo dos Santos yesterday and received assurances security would be increased for the tournament, which begins today when the hosts meet Mali.

Following the meeting, Hayatou flew to Cabinda to meet the Togo and Ghana players as well as the Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast teams who make up Group B, accompanied by almost the entire executive members of CAF, the general secretary and the executive director of COCAN, the organisers of the 2010 competition.

When addressing the Togo squad, Hayatou spoke of the tragedy and stressed they

had a difficult choice to make.

"We are in a deep shock following the tragic incident that happened to our Togolese brothers and friends," said Hayatou on the CAF website, www.cafonline.com.

"You came here to play football but unfortunately two of your brothers were killed.

"I am feeling terribly bad and short of words.

"It is left to you to decide to stay in a competition synonym of fraternity,

brotherhood, friendship and solidarity.

"And in case you decide to leave the competition, we will definitely understand your decision and it will be accepted.

"It is a difficult choice, individual choice and also collective choice, you are the only one who can decide."

Ghana, while admitting they had been "shaken to the core" by the attack, had urged Togo to reconsider their decision to withdraw.

Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi told www.ghanafa.org: "Yes, we would be ready for the game. The players have managed to overcome it and are going about their preparations.

"Though we acknowledge the terrifying nature of the attack, we hope Togo would

rescind their decision to withdraw."

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo captain, and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou were both on board the bus and both clubs had expected their players to return to Britain shortly.