An Indian national from Odisha has been abducted by the rebel forces in the ongoing civil war in the African nation of Sudan, and government there is negotiating for his release, reports said on Monday, November 3. Sudan's Ambassador to India Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom said his country is coordinating with the Indian ministry of external affairs to secure the release of the man, identified as 36-year-old Adarsh Behera from Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, abducted by the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the war-torn Al Fashir city.
Sources said he was kidnapped from Al Fashir, about 1,000 kilometres from Khartoum, and likely taken to Nyala, an RSF stronghold in South Darfur, PTI reported.
"Even before that, during the siege of one of the Sudanese cities, the Indian ministry had reached out to us about another of its citizens there, who endured very difficult conditions during those 500 days," Eltom told PTI in an interview.
Eltom described the situation as "very unpredictable", saying, "We kind of know what we need to do. And we have seen what they (RSF) are capable of doing. We hope that he will be treated well. And we hope that we can see him coming back safely soon."
Who is Adarsh Behera?
A 36-year-old Adarsh Behera's family told NDTV that he had been working in Sudan since 2022 for a company named Sukarati Plastic Factory.
His wife, Susmita, told the news outlet that the couple have two kids aged eight and three years. A video of Adarsh Behera, shared by his family, reportedly showed him sitting on the floor with his hands folded.
{{/usCountry}}His wife, Susmita, told the news outlet that the couple have two kids aged eight and three years. A video of Adarsh Behera, shared by his family, reportedly showed him sitting on the floor with his hands folded.
{{/usCountry}}"I am here in Al Fashir where the situation is very bad. I have been living here for two years with great difficulty. My family and children are very worried. I request the state (Odisha) government to help me," Behera was quoted as saying in the video by NDTV.
Sudan crisis, bilateral ties
On bilateral ties amid Sudan's crisis, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom said, "Our relations with India are long-standing and deeply rooted. India has always been an important partner to Sudan — in times of peace and in times of war. During this ongoing crisis, India has extended humanitarian assistance to Sudan and continues to do so."
He said the Indian government has donated medical aid and food supplies to Sudan, "which we deeply appreciate."
Highlighting post-war opportunities, Eltom said, "The potential for cooperation between our two countries is vast. Once Sudan enters the reconstruction phase after the war, we believe India can play a significant role as a development partner."
On reports of a possible military agreement between Sudan and India's hostile neighbour Pakistan, Eltom said, "I have seen those reports, but they appear to be media claims without official confirmation. As of now, I cannot verify or confirm such reports. They may be based on speculation or influenced by certain political agendas."
The RSF recently captured Al Fashir, triggering fresh violence and mass displacement in North Darfur. It took control of the western Darfur region last week, after ousting the Sudanese Army from the city that was besieged for 18 months.