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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....
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Reports are surfacing of a Swiss woman killed in Djanet on October 11th.
https://www.bluewin.ch/en/news/switz...a-2415772.html https://www.20min.ch/story/algerien-...tten-103206328 |
Swiss female tourist killed in Djanet (11 Oct 2024)
https://www.20min.ch/story/algerien-...tten-103206328
Sad, so it looks that the South is still not safe. :( |
Since there hasnt been much going on for years now, still fairly safe.
But the silence from the authorities is unsettling. Two guys from the north who had been in Djanet for half a year is all I heard. Nothing about motives. Many of us have been to this café https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...CA&oe=671DDF3C |
Quote:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...l-Algeria.html https://adventure-motorcycling.com/w.../dr-djanet.jpg |
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Those kind of loner attacks are so random they could happen anywhere in Maghreb at any time.
They also happen in Europe and elsewhere. What differs is the response of the authorities. We dont report so much from WA anymore, perhaps because we have given up hope of returning to Mali, Burkina or Niger for the time being. Mali south and west of Bamako seem to be ok still. East and north thereof is not. July 2022 jihadists attacked the main army camp at Kati, 15 kms from Bamako on the main road. They used car bombs. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7...ly-mali-attack And last month, Sept 17 2024 they made a coordinated attack on the garrison in centre ville to distract from a main attack on the Senou airport, setting fire to several airplanes. The airport sees both military and civilian traffic. crisisgroup.org/africa/sahel/mali/attaque-jihadiste-du-17-septembre-bamako-lechec-du-tout-securitaire-au-mali Mali now relies on security by itself and from the Wagner group after the UN Minusma and French Barkhane operations were terminated by the government in 2023. And in the north Ukraine is arming rebels to take out Wagner troops, with some success. Perhaps good to know if you are actually going that-a-way. |
Ken Elliott who was kidnapped in Burkina at age 82 with his wife tells his story.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-2...aeda/104274992 |
A reported kidnapping IVO Tamanrasset, suspected they took him over the border into Mali.
https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-n...a-mali-border/ |
In case you missed it, and posted elsewhere too - a Spanish man has been kidnapped in southern Algeria and taken to Mali. There is an unsubstantiated rumour that it may have been in/around Tamanrasset, which makes it doubly concerning.
https://www.atalayar.com/en/articulo...114209964.html |
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A 73-year-old Austrian woman was also kidnapped a week ago in Agadez.
https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/13/...%C3%AFr%20Info. Eva Gretzmacher is a well-known figure in Agadez for her social commitment, a skills centre in 2010 that initiated various projects, notably in education, women’s empowerment, ecology, culture and art, reported Nigerien outlet Aïr Info. |
According to some rumors, the Spanish tourist tried to avoid being escorted by stating that he had family in Tamanrasset and that he was visiting them.
They were 4 people kidnapped 3 Algerians: 2 Touareg guides, 1 Algerian from Algiers (a contact of the Spanish tourist) and the Spanish tourist. In northern Mali, the 3 Algerians were released in the wild and terrorists kept the sole foreigner. This is basically what the released Algerians mentioned, this version is being investigated as it is totally possible that the Algerian "friend" could potentially also have terrorists ties. BTW, the kidnapped Spanish tourist is a guy with long hair (this is why there are conflicting reports stating that the person is a woman) and has origins from latin America. Even though the Spanish tourist made a major mistake trying to avoid being escorted, it is still appalling that 8 foreign terrorists were able to enter and exit Algeria so easily over 400 km. There is an ongoing investigation and I'll keep you updated when I have more news from Algerian sources. |
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