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FCO advises against travel to Mali

27th November 2009 The FCO have upgraded their travel advice for Mali and now advise against all travel to the provinces of Mali north of the River Niger from Mopti. This includes the provinces of Kidal, Gao, Koulikoro (north of Mourdiah), Segou (north of Niono), Tombouctou (including the city of Tombouctou (Timbuktu)), areas bordering Mauritania east of Nioro in the Kayes province, and the north of Moptio province (north of the town of Douentza).

The advice has been updated following the attempted kidnap in of employees of the American Embassy. Terrorists have been involved in kidnaps in the region and the FCO believe that further kidnap attacks are likely. A group of European tourists were kidnapped in the area of the Mali-Niger border near Menaka on 22 January 2009 and a British national who was part of this group was later murdered. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

FCO Mali travel advice

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