Bamako, Mali — Gunmen have abducted five Indian nationals working on an electrification project in western Mali, their employing company and security sources confirmed Friday. The mass kidnapping highlights the deteriorating security situation in the impoverished West African nation, which is grappling with escalating violence from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS).
The workers were seized on Thursday near Kobri, a town in the western part of the country, by unidentified gunmen. A company representative confirmed the incident to the media, stating, “We confirm the kidnapping of five Indian nationals.” The abducted men were part of a team employed by an Indian firm carrying out critical electrification works in the region.
Following the incident, the company has taken immediate action, evacuating their remaining expatriate staff to Bamako, the Malian capital. As of the time of reporting, no group has officially claimed responsibility for the abduction.
Mali, currently ruled by a military junta, has become a hotbed of unrest and jihadist activity. Kidnappings targeting foreign nationals are alarmingly common, fueled by the presence of powerful terror groups, most notably the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). These groups have intensified their operations, exacerbating an economic crisis and making travel and infrastructure work increasingly perilous. The incident raises serious concerns about the safety of international workers in a country struggling to contain the mounting security crisis.
