Malian robberies?

[elizabeth]

The BBC is carrying a news item about a robbery south of Timbuktu where a group of tourists were robbed, and the guide and driver killed. Does anyone have any additional info on this? What nationality was the group?
I have also heard of another robbery of vehicles north of Timbuktu in the last month. I have some friends traveling soon in this area, and I may be there in the spring in a small group. Any comments about the safety issues appreciated.

[Chris Scott]

I havent heard about the BBC report but this sort of thing is nothing new in Mali around Tim-Gao and to the north. It is usually the vehicles they are after and maybe the drivers did not want to give them up. If your friends are going on a tour, I would have thought the agency will know if it is safe.

Chris S

[GWJ]

i just got back from mali about 2 weeks ago and am also trying to find out more about this incident. i met lots of people who were heading for timbuktu in late oct, i wish i could get the names of the people who were hurt and/or killed. i've done a bunch of web searchs and determined that a malian driver and guide were killed, and two others were injured (no one seems to list their nationality, which suggests to me they were not american or european), but can get little other information

oh, contrary to the above reply, the attack happened SOUTH of timbuktu, in an area generally considered to be safe for travellers

[elizabeth]

From most reports, these were Austrians traveling in 4 cars from Mopti, and the drivers and guides were from Mopti. I don't know the company. The reports I got (go to Lonely Planet, Africa) were that the Malian Health Minister was also severely injured in the robbery. One account being mentioned by a tour agency is that the guide and driver killed were associated with the minister,not the tourists. There was also an unassociated robbery earlier north of Timbuktu where some cars, cash, valuables were stolen from a group in a dawn raid, but they were left water, some food, and a vehicle to get back with.

[hed]

Hi All,

I arrived in Mopti the day after the latest attack took place. There were actually two attacks. The first one happened closer to Gao and involved the Health Minister. Apparently no-one was hurt in that attack. That one took place a little while before this latest incident. This latest incident is the first one that took place south of the Niger and took plcae in the area of Douentza. I know that none of the Europeans got injured or anything, however both the driverr and the guide/translator were killed. All belongs and the car etc were stolen. I know that the group was german speaking. The tour driving fraternity in the area is very worried since and it is difficult to get drivers at the moment to drive individuals cars from T down to Mopti. We did it with a Songhai driver and had no problems at all. I have a feeling the situation will calm down again very soon. Hope this helps and have fun whoever travels in the area.

[GWJ]

There was a report on the Austrian TV-homepage (in German). If you don't speak german but are seriously interested, I'll translate it for you.

restless_soul@utanet.at
http://oesterreich.orf.at/oesterreic...el=4&id=154083