Ultra,
I think going with some locals would be a pretty safe option. But, if the worry over your safety is going to override the enjoyment of the trip, then I'd bow out.
I'll tell a story:
Years ago, the CEO of the company I worked for asked me to come to his office. Our company had sold some oil and gas equipment that was to be installed in Algeria and the customer (Kellog, Brown and Root) wanted someone to oversee the installation. The CEO gave me the customer contact info, so I could find out the details and decide if I was comfortable going and he would stand by my decision to go or stay.
When I contacted the State Department, they had a level 3 and 4 which is reconsider travel or do not travel. So, I contacted KBR for the details. It seems that they were flying people in and out of the site all the time and they had a charter flight from Paris that went straight to Hassi Messaoud, bypassing Algiers. You then transferred to a twin otter and flew straight to the gas plant. I ended up working out a deal where I met up with a "returnee" in Paris and he was my escort for the trip. It actually turned out to be a really memorable trip. When the twin otter landed on the dirt strip at the site, you were greeted with a jeep with a M-60 mounted on top as they ushered you quickly off the plane into a waiting van. The van then raced to a secured compound, that was like a POW camp style, with a double fence and a guard tower at each corner. There I was security briefed on the do's and don'ts, including what to do in the event of gunfire, what buildings were hardened etc.
I ended up making 2 trips to that site. On the first trip, I brought the bare essentials, consisting of just clothes and a set of construction drawings. On that trip, I realized how impressive KBR was as a logistics company. This was in the early 2000's when the Bush administration was catching flak for no-bid contracts to Bechtel and KBR. I now understand why they were awarded no-bids, the folks at KBR could get you anything from a 1/4 x 20 screw to a 747 airliner with a phone call and their folks at all levels were the most organized and proficient I've ever worked with in my career.
A few days before my second trip to the site, I got a crackly phone call from the guys at the site. They had some items they wanted me to bring that included AA/AAA batteries, flashlights, chips and salsa, margarita mix and tequila. I told them I was a little leery to try to bring alcohol into a Muslim country, but the KBR guys told me to place a bunch of company swag on top of my bag (company hats, pens, flashlights etc.) as I went through customs in Hassi Messaoud and I'd sail right threw. Having worked with these guys and trusting them, I took a chance and they were right. The custom guy's eyes lit up as he started trying on the hats and stuffing the other swag in his pockets, sending my bag unchecked down the line. Breaking or challenging the rules, however, is not something I'd recommend.
The purpose of the story is that if you have someone that you trust, who knows the place and the risks, then they would be the best source to gauge your safety.
