Five Indian kidnapped in Mali as Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group closes in on capital, embassy working for safe release

BAMAKO (Mali): The Indian embassy in Bamako said it is “aware of the unfortunate incident” involving the kidnapping of five Indian nationals in Mali on November 6 and is working closely with local authorities and the concerned company to ensure their “safe release as quickly as possible”.

In an X post, the embassy wrote, “The Embassy is aware of the unfortunate incident of kidnapping of five of our nationals in Mali on 6 Nov 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 Embassy is aware of the unfortunate incident of kidnapping of five of our nationals in on 6 Nov 2025. The Embassy has been working closely with the authorities and the company concerned to secure their safe release as quickly as possible. @MEAIndia @PMOIndia

— India in Mali (@IndianEmbassyML) November 9, 2025

The abduction comes amid escalating instability in Mali, where terrorist group al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group is tightening its grip around the capital, Bamako. The group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam al-Muslimin (JNIM), has intensified attacks on highways, fuel convoys, and security forces, threatening to isolate the city from the rest of the country, as per CNN.

Fuel shortages have begun to hit Bamako after terrorists cut off key supply routes, ambushed tanker trucks, and attacked military patrols. According to CNN, JNIM recently torched a convoy of more than 100 fuel trucks on the road from the Ivory Coast, burning at least half of them.

Many 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. Last week, the UK government warned citizens to “leave immediately by commercial flight if you judge it safe to do so,” while the US State Department also advised Americans to depart the country.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated group, formed in 2017, has expanded its influence across Mali and the wider Sahel region, often targeting foreign workers, aid staff, and industrial sites. Mali, a former French colony, has seen years of violence, military coups, and political turmoil.

Russian mercenaries, initially part of the Wagner Group and now reorganised as Moscow’s “Africa Corps”, have been operating alongside Malian forces since 2021 but have failed to contain the violence and have suffered extensive casualties.

In July, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also confirmed the abduction of three Indian nationals working at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, western Mali, following a terrorist attack. The ministry had “unequivocally condemned” the violence and urged the Malian government to secure their release.

“The safety, security, and welfare of Indian nationals abroad remain a matter of utmost priority for the Government of India,” the MEA said at the time, urging citizens in Mali to stay vigilant and remain in close contact with the Indian Embassy in Bamako.

With the latest kidnapping, the number of Indian nationals abducted in Mali this year has risen to eight. (ANI)