On March 22, Swedish TV producer Felix Lamo alerted me that a U.N. Humanitarian Air Service plane was coming to pick up 10 journalists, and he suggested that I call to see if I could get out with them, since there were no other options planned.
With the help of the assistant regional security officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bamako, who called the U.N. dispatcher, I was assured a seat on the plane. Under tight French security, the plane departed for Mopti, where I arranged for an SUV for the 14-hour drive back to Bamako.
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