Intrested in crossing the Ténéré but worried about terrorism and bandits, even with good tour guides. What's the general opinion on the subject?

There have been more recorded hits on tourists (all with local tours) in the Air/Tenere in the last few years than anywhere else in the Sahara - but were are talking about at most 2-3 hits a season - and all you will lose are some valuables )and the rest of your holiday... which will probably be refunded - ask)

As far as I know this reputation does not seem to significantly affect fly-in tourism in Niger (unlike other countries which are statistically safer) because in Europe the region is so well known and liked.

So I would not let this stop me visiting Niger (esp with return of direct flights from Paris to Agadez this winter - avoiding the schelp from Niamey) - it's a great area.

Chris S


(fyi, Nat Geo Adv mag has a Sahara feature this Oct)

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Hi Chris ,
I think all the "recorded hits on tourists" in the last 2,3 years occured in Air and not in Ténéré , so IMHO crossing the Ténéré beetween Agadez and Bilma and making a loop in the south of Bilma looks safe .
Have you others infos ?
RR.

There were a couple of robberies in the Djado/Chirfa area which I call 'Tenere', more or less.
It is safer there because the Djado Tubu rebels are not around anymore. Air and east edge of AIr are more risky.

Dont know about south of Bilma - hardly anyone goes there

Ch

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Some recent news / analysis:

Reports say that at least three people were killed and several others injured on 11 August after a gang of Tuareg rebels attacked buses travelling on the Agadez-Arlit highway in the north-east.


This attack reflects an increase in activity by some Tuareg gangs, which claim that they are resuming the rebellion that officially ended in 2000. Traditionally, the northern regions of the country have posed HIGH travel and security risks because of banditry and the potential infiltration of terrorists from Algeria. Although there has been an increase in attacks on civilians in the area, the Tuareg gangs are not known to have any direct links with terrorists at this time.


The attack was the third in as many months. The perpetrators fired automatic weapons on three buses, killing three people and injuring 11 others. Reports also indicate that the gang kidnapped two policemen.

A group of former Tuareg rebels, known as the Liberation Front of Aïr and Azawagh (FLAA), has warned that it is resuming its activities after a key Tuareg leader, Rhissa Ag Boula, was imprisoned in February for his role in the killing of a ruling party official. Ag Boula was a leader of the group that operated in Tahoua and Agadez in the early 1990s.

The US has been involved in the training of Niger's police and other security forces in bomb disposal and other activities to assist security provision in remote desert areas because of the increasing risk of terrorism in the Sahel desert region. The Sahel is also known for smuggling and human trafficking. The US is trying to curb the potential influence of the Algerian-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), an Islamic extremist organisation that operates in the Sahel.

More incidents in the Air mountains.
Full details here:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?R...tCountry=NIGER

José

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