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Embassy working to ‘secure safe release’ of 5 Indians kidnapped in Mali amid unrest
Mali continues to struggle with violence fuelled by criminal groups and jihadist groups connected to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
The Indian Embassy in Bamako said it is working closely with Malian authorities after five Indian nationals were kidnapped by armed men in Mali on November 6 amid ongoing unrest in the West African country.
The Indians were employed by a company involved in electrification projects and were kidnapped near Kobri, AFP reported earlier, citing security officials. The authorities also told the news agency that other Indian employees of the company had been evacuated to Bamako.
Indian Embassy reacts
In a statement posted on X, the Indian Embassy in Mali said, “The Embassy is aware of the unfortunate incident of the kidnapping of five of our nationals in Mali on 6 November 2025. The Embassy has been working closely with the Malian authorities and the company concerned to secure their safe release as quickly as possible.”
Although the abduction took place on Thursday, no group has claimed responsibility so far for the incident.
In September, jihadists from the Al-Qaeda-linked group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam al-Muslimin (JNIM), abducted two Emirati citizens and an Iranian near Bamako. They were freed last week after a ransom of at least $50 million was reportedly paid, according to AFP.
Unrest in Mali
Mali continues to struggle with violence fuelled by criminal groups and jihadist groups connected to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Notably, the country is under the control of a military junta.
A major fuel blockade has pushed Mali into an economic crisis, forcing authorities to shut schools, stop harvesting and limit access to electricity. Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have issued urgent advisories asking their citizens to leave Mali due to the “unpredictable security situation”.
CNN reported earlier that the JNIM recently set fire to a convoy of more than 100 fuel trucks travelling from the Ivory Coast, destroying at least half of them. The Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, formed in 2017, has grown its influence across Mali and the Sahel, often targeting foreign workers, humanitarian staff and industrial facilities.
