High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sahel is a commune in the Cercle of Kayes in the Kayes Region of south-western Mali. The principal town lies at Bafarara. As of 1998 the commune had a population of 8,739. Kayes Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. Its seat is the city of Kayes, which is also the capital of its Region and its largest city. The Cercle is further divided into Arrondissements and Communes. Kayes city is subdivided into Urban Communes and Wards (fr. Quartiers). Kayes Cercle's population as of 1998 was 350,082 people.