Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Australian Consulate Bulletin

I realise that it may be a bit too cautious but it has a few good pointers:

The Bulletin was issued on Monday, 30 August 2010, 13:46:57, EST.

http://bl106w.blu106.mail.live.com/z...s/page_top.gif Overview

There is an ongoing high threat of kidnapping against Westerners in north, west and east Africa. We judge this risk to be particularly high in Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, southern Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Tunisia and Somalia.

You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times when travelling in these parts of Africa and should not travel to remote, isolated areas We advise Australians to take increased security precautions when in their homes, workplaces or cars and watch for any suspicious or unusual activity.

You should monitor local information sources for details about the safety and security environment. If you do decide to travel to areas where there is a high or very high threat of kidnapping or to remote areas where we strongly advise you not to travel, you should ensure that you have personal security measures in place or seek professional security advice. Any road travel should be undertaken in daylight, in convoy and with a local guide. In the past, foreigners have been kidnapped from their vehicles. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times.

You should carefully read the destination-specific advice for the countries you intend to visit. We currently advise Australians not to travel to Chad, Guinea, Niger, Sudan and Somalia. Australians are strongly advised to reconsider their need to travel to Algeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mauritania and Nigeria. We also strongly advise Australians not to travel to regions within countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Kenya, Libya, Mali and Morocco. Due to the extremely dangerous security situation and access limitations in some locations, the Australian Government’s ability to provide consular assistance to Australian citizens is severely limited.

Terrorist groups, including some affiliated with al-Qaeda, are often responsible for the kidnapping of foreigners. These groups are active in north, west and east Africa and pose a very real security threat. Terrorists have used foreigners to secure ransom payments and the release of jailed militants. In some instances, terrorists have killed their kidnap victims when their demands were not met. Foreign employees, particularly those in the oil and mining sectors, aid and humanitarian workers, tourists and expatriates are regularly targeted. Criminal gangs are also known to kidnap foreigners, who they later exchange with terrorists for money. Terrorists in Africa may be using local merchants like tour and transport operators to identify foreign visitors for potential kidnap operations. Hostages may be taken by their captors into a neighbouring country. Humanitarian workers in Kenya have been kidnapped by militants and held in Somalia.

We judge that Westerners will continue to be the primary targets of terrorist kidnap operations.

Cultural festivals held in north and west Africa are attractive places for terrorists and criminals to identify and target tourists for kidnapping. These festivals bring people to predictable locations along unsecured routes. Foreigners travelling to and from major cultural festivals were kidnapped in northern Mali in 2009. One hostage was executed. We strongly advise Australians not to attend major festivals such as the Tuareg ‘Festival in the Desert’ and the ‘Sahara Nights’ festival in northern Mali and the Tamadach Festival in Eastern Mali.

Sport events, including ultra marathons and car rallies, are an attractive kidnapping opportunity. Ultra marathons have been scheduled in Morocco, Libya, Senegal, Egypt and Namibia. The Dakar Rally was cancelled in 2008 and moved to South America in 2009 and 2010 due to security concerns. If you decide to compete in sporting events in areas to which we advise you not to travel, we recommend you speak to event organisers to satisfy yourself of the security arrangements.

Kidnapping incidents include:

On 26 July 2010, the French Government announced that one of its citizens, kidnapped on 22 April near Arlit in north-western Niger, had been executed by militants in Mali.
In May 2010, an American aid worker was kidnapped in Nayala in South Darfur in Sudan. In June 2010, two German aid workers were kidnapped in the same area. The Germans were released in July, but the American continues to be held. There have been eight separate kidnappings involving foreign aid and humanitarian workers in the western Sudan area since March 2009.
A Frenchman abducted from his hotel and held for three months in Mali was freed in February 2010 after four militants were released from prison.
In December 2009, gunmen killed four Saudi tourists in Niger’s south-western Tillaberi region as they drove to the Mali border.
Also in December 2009 an Italian couple was kidnapped by an armed group in south eastern Mauritania, on the road to Mali near Kobonni.
In November 2009, US Embassy staff members were the target of an attempted kidnapping by heavily armed assailants in Tahoua, Niger.
Three Spanish aid workers were kidnapped in late November 2009 while travelling from Nouakchott to the port of Nouadhibou in Mauritania. One of the hostages was released in March 2010, and the other two were held for another five months before being released.
In April 2009, a Canadian national was kidnapped in Nigeria near the city of Kaduna and later released.
A group of European tourists was kidnapped in the Mali-Niger border area in January 2009 as they travelled from a cultural festival. One hostage was later executed.
Two Canadian diplomats were kidnapped 45km outside Niger’s capital Niamey in December 2008 and held for four months in Mali.
In July 2009, three aid workers in Kenya were kidnapped by Somali militias and taken into Somalia.
In September 2008, a Dutch doctor and Japanese nurse were kidnapped in the eastern Ogaden region of Ethiopia. They were taken into Somalia and later released.
In August 2008, two journalists, including an Australian, were kidnapped by gunmen near the Somali capital Mogadishu. They were held until November 2009.

Given the volatile and dangerous security situation in north, west and east Africa, we strongly recommend that you register your travel and contact details with us so we can contact you in an emergency. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate.

We advise you to monitor closely the department's destination-specific travel advisories for areas to which you intend travelling.