LISBON, Jan 4: The Dakar Rally was cancelled for the first time in its 30-year history on Friday due to security concerns in Mauritania where four French tourists were killed last month, organisers said.

France-based Amaury Sport Organisation, in charge of the 6,000km rally, said in a statement they had been advised by the French government to cancel the race which was due to begin on Saturday from Lisbon.

They said direct threats had also been made against the event by “terrorist organisations”.

There had been repeated calls for the race, originally known as Paris-Dakar, to be cancelled over security fears and the danger the fast-riding cars, motorbikes and trucks across the deserts of north Africa pose to local populations.

“The organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of January between Lisbon and Senegal’s capital,”

Amaury Sport said, adding it planned carry out the race in 2009.

“Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists ... but also mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken.”

France warned the Dakar organisers on Thursday against holding stages in Mauritania because it said “the terrorist risk” cannot be ruled out.

Three attackers, who authorities suspect were linked to al Qaeda, gunned down four French tourists and injured a fifth as they enjoyed a Christmas Eve picnic by the roadside in the south of the country, near the border with Senegal.

Gunmen killed three soldiers three days later in the remote and sparsely populated north of the country, bordering Algeria and Morocco’s breakaway territory of Western Sahara.

Some 570 teams had registered for the 30th edition of the event with Mitsubishi seeking their eighth successive win in the car category.—Reuters