“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,” the mission said in an official statement on X.
The abduction comes as Mali faces escalating violence from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate that has increased its attacks near the capital, Bamako. The group has been targeting highways, fuel convoys, and security forces, threatening to isolate the capital from key supply routes.
Recent attacks have caused severe fuel shortages in Bamako, with JNIM militants torching convoys and ambushing military patrols. Western nations, including the U.S., U.K., and Germany, have issued urgent advisories urging citizens to leave Mali due to the deteriorating security situation.
The Indian government has raised the matter with Malian authorities, stressing the need for swift and safe recovery of the abducted workers. In July, three other Indians were kidnapped in Kayes following a terrorist strike on a cement factory, bringing the total number of Indians abducted in Mali this year to eight.
Mali, a former French colony, has been gripped by political turmoil, military coups, and Islamist insurgency for over a decade. Despite Russian “Africa Corps” mercenaries assisting Malian forces since 2021, extremist violence has continued to expand across the Sahel region.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has advised citizens in Mali to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Bamako.
