The Italian Jehovah’s family kidnapped in southern Mali in May 2022 has been released.

https://apnews.com/article/italy-mal...497a2c4a3673e9

(thanks to LS for passing on)

This was not a Sahara kidnapping, but my list of 40 such events since Algeria in 2003, is empty.

Hi Mike, I imagine cross border freight continues via In Guezzam.
Sadly, these days much of that 'freight' are migrants being sent back to Niger.
No tourist has crossed this route since Arab Spring. Into Tessalit (Mali) even longer.
Long berms along the border either side of IGZ.

ugh!
 

Thanks. Pretty much as I imagined....