Arak attack - babelfish translation...

[Chris Scott]

With Libya being so difficult to visit it was only a matter of time before banditry returned to the south of Alg ... and the trans Sahara Highway on which Arak Gorge is located, has always been risky...

Thanks to Ursula for the link

CS

"Four Swiss kidnapped and expenditure-robs in south Algeria (23,10,02, 21 o'clock) I was just informed from first hand verbally about the following incident. I ask to excuse possible transmission errors. Different Swiss daily papers will report probably the day after tomorrow on the incident. They are informed tomorrow by the concerned. Beginning of the report:

Last Friday mornings vierkoepfige Swiss was forced a travel's group in a jeep (Isuzu Trooper) 40 km north of Arak with force of arms to stopping. Five bandits placed its vehicle (Nissan Pickup with double cab) crosswise on the roadway and aimed with Kalaschnikovs put on. Swiss 150 meters further brought behind a stone hill, where an Algerian truck and a Pickup were - both likewise by Wafffengewalt continue. The bandits spent themselves as fighters Allahs and tried their acts with angetanen injustice to justify. After further 15 kilometers they achieved the actual base in a Oued. There in groups by altogether 12 bandits 17 kidnapping (together with four mentioned Swiss of everything probably Algerians) were held in each case. The Isuzu was in-lubricated with fat to obviously camouflage in order it later with a layer sand for search actions. Fear for hours of hoping and doubting followed. After a bottle Whisky was found (it zerschmettert) had Swiss breaking water to drink (if to drink know your alcohol, then can its also that drink). Everything was removed from the victims except the carried dresses and smaller effects. The passports kriegten it after repeated asking back. At 16 the bandits the place left o'clock with the edition that during 2 hours nobody agitates itself, otherwise it were shot. Later the victims with the left truck reached Arak, where were made for the authorities report. A search action was introduced immediately. Swiss are now again in their homeland.

Appendix of Juerg being:
The Arak ravine applied in former times under Saharareisenden as risk area, lost this fright lately however appreciably. Long time applied also a convoy obligation (drive in the escort from the military). Whether this convoy obligation at the time of the over case actually any longer did not exist or whether the travelers for other reasons unaccompanied it drove extracts itself to my knowledge.

A report from 1992 (source: http://www.amr-outdoorwelt.de/Servic...egypten92.htm) in addition: ... the two described Algeria as rather dangerous. A Volkswagen bus should have been attacked in the Arak ravine and the drivers was killed. Thus the two already turned with the fright messages in in Salah again and have done without the route to the Hoggar mountains...


Juerg Sol