Ahly players during today's training session at the hotel. (Photo from the club's official website)
The military aircraft Egypt sent to Ivory Coast's capital, Abidjan is waiting for authorisation to fly to Bamako to retrieve the Ahly team trapped by the military counter-coup that overtook Mali on Monday while the team was there for a match.
The Cairo giants had been visiting the West African nation, which has been facing violence and instability since an initial coup in March, to play their African Champions League clash against Stade Malien Sunday.
Although the team reported hearing gunfire in the streets, the Red Devils' delegation is safe. The group is staying inside a tightly-secured hotel, along with the media representatives that accompanied them.
The news that the plane arrived in the Ivory Coast eased the tension a bit.
Despite their expected imminent departure, Ahly's coaching staff, headed by Portuguese coach Manuel Jose, has decided to hold a training session at the hotel in the meantime today to keep the players in shape.
According to Shady El-Sharkawy, the Egyptian consul in Bamako, negotiations are ongoing to get authorisation from Mali to let the plane land in Bamako in order to evacuate the players.
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