Tourists survive attack by bandits

A group of US and Austrian tourists have survived an attack by Malian-based Tuareg bandits in the Air mountains of northern Niger, humanitarian sources quoted state radio as reporting on Friday.

The radio reported that the army had been sent in pursuit of the attackers, whose exact strength was unknown. AFP, quoting an unnamed military source, reported them to be around 20. They attacked tourists in the northern town of Iferoune, stole four of their all-terrain vehicles and 45 million francs CFA (about US $64,000) in cash.

The country director of the Adventist Development Relief Agency, Dioi Cruz, told IRIN that the same group of Malian Tuaregs, who operate in the Air mountains, were thought to have attacked the Paris-Dakar motor rally last year. Their activity - like that of bandits in northern Mali - revolves around attacking tourists and aid workers, and stealing their all-terrain vehicles.