Dear Colleagues- As I do not have another way to reach all the colleagues at the IGF I wish to use the Kictanet to bring them to speed regarding security situation as per below, following football match last weekend and tomorrow's play-off. Some Kenya's arriving thru Cairo on Sunday encountered problems such as traffic jams and unrully crowds so be on the watch out especially those travelling tomorrow (Wednesday)- Security Situation Updates Egypt Clashes follow international football match in Cairo; further unrest possible prior to, after play-off in Sudan on 18 November Created: November 16, 2009 18:25 GMT Updated: November 17, 2009 00:03 GMT More than 30 people, including 20 Algerian nationals, on 14 November were injured during unrest in the capital Cairo and the nearby city of Giza (Giza governorate) following the national football (soccer) team's 2-0 victory over Algeria in a crucial qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup tournament. Egyptian supporters reportedly threw stones at their Algerian counterparts as they left the match venue, Cairo's International Stadium, triggering disturbances. The two teams will meet again in a play-off fixture in the neutral city of Omdurman (Sudan) on 18 November to determine qualification for the World Cup finals. The play-off became necessary after the two teams finished level on points and goal difference in Group C of the African qualifying zone. Comment and Analysis There is a traditional sporting rivalry between the two countries, and additional security personnel are also likely to be deployed in the city centre in areas where supporters may congregate. Further unrest involving football supporters in Cairo and other major urban centres is possible before and after the forthcoming play-off; the potential for unrest will rise in the event of an Egyptian defeat in the fixture. In the context of such an outcome, there is a possibility that angry supporters may seek to target Algerian nationals. The security forces are likely to employ robust crowd-control measures such as baton charges and tear gas in the event of unrest, posing incidental risks to bystanders. Prior to the match, five members of the Algerian team on 12 November were reportedly injured when their team bus was attacked by stone-throwing Egyptian football supporters while en route from Cairo International Airport (CAI) to a hotel in the city. Egypt's subsequent victory in the match prompted disturbances in the Algerian capital Algiers; thousands of people on 15 November attended a rally in support of the national football team which subsequently turned violent, with participants ransacking the premises of Egyptian-owned businesses, including an office of the national carrier EgyptAir. The fixture's outcome also sparked off unrest in the port city of Marseilles (France), when youths of Algerian extraction threw stones at the police, vandalised shops and set fire to boats in the port after Egypt scored a late second goal, paving the way for the play-off. Eight people were detained by the police. Violent scenes have previously marred football matches between the two countries, and have contributed to a rivalry that has spanned several decades. Most notoriously, scuffles in November 1989 broke out between rival supporters across Cairo in the aftermath of a qualifying match for the 1990 World Cup, and violence during a post-match reception resulted in the Egyptian team doctor sustaining a severe eye injury. Travel Advice * Exercise vigilance at locations likely to be crowded with football fans, such as bars and restaurants. * Avoid all demonstrations to mitigate the risk of incidental exposure to violence. This is a follow-up alert based upon the pre-travel advisory email you received for your destination. Please note that the follow-up alerts are sent to you just for the duration of your trip in order to notify you about the health and safety risks in your destination. If you have any questions, please contact onlinehelp@internationalsos.com . Important Notice: This communication (including any attachments) is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.