Deepening unrest in Mali has taken a troubling turn for India after five Indian nationals working on an electrification project were kidnapped near Kobri, security officials said on Friday. The workers were employed by a private company engaged in infrastructure development in the region. &ldquo;We confirm the kidnapping of five Indian nationals,&rdquo; a company representative said, adding that all other Indian staffers had been urgently relocated to the capital, Bamako.
The abduction comes at a time when Mali is struggling with widening instability fuelled by criminal networks and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings so far, but similar incidents in recent months have been attributed to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). In September, JNIM militants abducted two Emirati nationals and an Iranian near Bamako hostages who were released last week after payment of a hefty ransom.
India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued a statement on the developing situation, though officials are understood to be closely monitoring the case and coordinating with Malian authorities.
The abductions come as Mali grapples with a paralysing fuel blockade and harsh economic pressure under the ruling military junta. Schools have shut, harvests have stalled, and electricity supply remains restricted in many regions. Earlier this week, President Assimi Goita appealed to the public to conserve fuel, saying he would &ldquo;do everything possible to deliver fuel&rdquo; to stabilise the crisis.
For now, the fate of the kidnapped Indian workers remains uncertain, as the region continues to be shaken by armed violence and political volatility.

Five Indians Kidnapped as Mali Unrest Escalates

Kidnapping deepens fears for foreign workers amid rising jihadist violence in Mali

Five Indians Kidnapped as Mali Unrest Escalates

Kidnapping deepens fears for foreign workers amid rising jihadist violence in Mali

November 8, 2025 | 18:06 IST