Robbery north of Kayes, Mali
 

Well what do you know, just when I suggested the entrance to Mali from Selibaby or Kiffa to Kayes to be the best and safest,
13 vehicles in a convoy mainly carrying French tourists were attacked between Aourou and Kayes by heavily armed men. Four women were kidnapped and a large amount of money stolen from the passengers (65-100 milllion CFA)
still not well reported, supposed to have happened October 25

Attaque sur la route Kayes-Aourou : Quatre femmes enlevées et plus de 65 millions emportés
Kayes Info - Urgence : Attaque sur la route Kayes-Aourou : Plus de 100 millions emportés !

Isn't it a wee bit strange how this, if it did happen, only is reported locally? If a convoy of French tourists really were 'attacked by heavily armed men', and four of the best-looking women kidnapped, western and esp French media would be all over it, not?

Can any one corroborate this?
 

We are expecting to travel through somewhere along the mauri -Mali border in the next 2 weeks on our way to Burkina Faso and Benin. Original plan was to come from nema down to segou. Is this whole area just a really bad idea right now? I will be traveling with my fiancée on what was supposed to be an adventurous but enjoyable trip. If we are scared of everyone we meet and what lurks around every corner it will not be good.

Any thoughts?

I must say my interpretation after reading the links was that perhaps they were Malian women working in France going home to Kayes for a holiday?
And as such have attracted less international media interest than if they were white tourists.
Another thought that it was in some way anti Mori propaganda - possibly to do with border closures to Malians re ebola. That 'incident' described elsewhere may be related. Who knows.

But even then - if it was as described that is a major attack.

That is more likely what it was Chris. Highway robberies happens, usually attacking public transport after dark.

very odd indeed
certainly the women were not French
I can't imagine a group of them travelling on a bumpy piste packed in the back of an old pick-up, why?
also 100 million cfa is a lot of many
plus no additional news on that ... may be a hoax
however the Malian embassy in Nouakchott stopped issuing visas to french citizens

on the other hand, armed robberies do happen occasionally and even if ending in violence don't usually get reported in the western media