Dakar Rally competitors are enjoying an unexpected weekend off after security fears caused the cancellation of two stages.
Rally organisers have been warned of "uncontrolled" militias operating around the town of Mopti in Mali, near the border with Burkina Faso, and have reacted by cancelling stages 10 and 11.
The weekend stages would have passed near Mopti but they have been replaced by a non-timed trip from Nema in Mauritania to the Malian town of Bamako and then on to Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso.
Gilbert Ysern, general manager of rally organisers ASO, revealed the extent of the security threat.
He told www.eurosport.com: "We were alerted by the authorities in Mali and in France that security was not going to be guaranteed around the town of Mopti, and for the passage of the rally around that area.
"We received this alert on Thursday and they said that a few military troops acting in an uncontrolled manner on rally route. As we are very specific about our security we've decided to cancel stages 10 and 11.
Stephane Peterhansel leads the event despite being pipped to the stage victory yesterday by fellow Mitsubishi driver Hiroshi Masuoka, who moved up to second place in the standings. Gregoire de Mevius slipped to third overall.