A huge airlift is taking place to transport hundreds of drivers and vehicles in the Dakar rally across the desert after reports of a planned rebel attack.

Giant Russian Antonov transport carriers are being used to ferry the gear from Niger's capital Niamey to Sabha in Libya.

The airlift operation which will take four days will cost the organisers millions of dollars.

More than 1,000 drivers and support team members and their 500 vehicles need to be flown over Niger before the rally can restart.

The organisers cancelled the Niger stages after receiving warnings that an Algerian Islamic group were planning to launch an attack.

The Niger Government say they had adequate security along the route.

This year's event was supposed to have covered almost 11,000km (6,900 miles) in 17 stages. It will now only cover 13 stages.