Trouble in Mauritania: Is Traveling in Africa Dangerous? : Kathika Travel Website

Of all the destinations in the world, if you mention to your friends or family that you’re off on a trip through the heart of Africa, you’ll probably get the most advice and warnings. Whether this is fair or not, there are more headlines about problems for tourists in Africa than we’d like to read.

And just today there was another terrible incident in Africa, this time in the north-western nation of Mauritania. Four French tourists were shot and killed in an incident near Aleg, east of the capital city of Nouakchott.

Unfortunately the whole sad story began when a family of four and their friend, traveling together towards Mali, stopped for a picnic on the side of the road, outside of the city. A gang of three armed Mauritanian men confronted them, demanding money, and then shot dead four of them, leaving the father seriously wounded.

As we read about various high risk zones for Christmas and New Year terrorism or problems – the Philippines, for example, where information exists that terrorist attacks could be planned, or Brussels where even the US Embassy considers there is currently a heightened risk of terrorist activities – you might begin to wonder where in the world is a safe travel destination.