Al Ahly and Sunshine Stars finally leave Mali

An Egyptian military plane airlifted Ahly out of Bamako on Thursday afternoon headed for Cairo.

The six players and two officials from Stars left on Friday to return home via Benin.

The two teams were stranded after Monday's attempted counter-coup caused the airport to be closed.

Ahly's flight after their 1-0 loss in the African Champions League to Stade Malien was initially delayed by bad weather.

Mali violence delayed Ahly and Sunshine Stars

Players and officials from Egypt's Al Ahly and Nigeria's Sunshine Stars are stranded in Mali, after renewed violence on Monday.

Ahly played Stade Malien and Stars took on Djoliba in the African Champions League at the weekend.
The Cairo club's flight was delayed by bad weather, and then - when trouble broke out - the airport was closed.
Some members of the Nigerian party left the country on Saturday night but a small group remain trapped.
"They cannot leave the hotel, on the instructions of the Egyptian embassy," Ahly board member Khaled Mortagy said.