4 Spanish tourists assaulted in Senegal, police say

DAKAR, Senegal – Authorities say several Spanish tourists were sexually assaulted and robbed while vacationing in southern Senegal’s restive Casamance region.

State media reported Friday that the assailants raped women in the group, citing a police official. The armed men also made off with thousands of euros in cash.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry says its consulate in Dakar is in contact with the four Spaniards.

Charles Dia Thiam, the commander of the gendarmerie in Ziguinchor, said the attack was under investigation and declined to elaborate on the case.

Casamance was once a top tourist destination in peaceful Senegal, though sporadic violence by separatist rebels has dramatically hurt business over the past two decades.

Earlier this year, a group of 14 people were gunned down while searching for firewood in the region.