Five Indian nationals kidnapped in Mali amid ISIS uprising: Report

As many as five Indian nationals have been kidnapped in Mali, reported news agency AFP quoting sources. India has not issued a statement on the incident yet. Similar incident took place in July when three Indians employed at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes were abducted. No group has claimed the kidnappings so far. Mali, a landlocked nation in the semiarid Sahel region, for more than a decade has battled an insurgency by armed groups, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

The workers were reportedly kidnapped on Nov 6 by gunmen near Kobri, in western Mali. They were employed by a company that is working on electrification projects. "We confirm the kidnapping of five Indian nationals. The other Indians working for the company have been evacuated to Bamako," a company representative told AFP.

Earlier, in a cautionary note to all Indians in Mali, the MEA said, “The Ministry advises all Indian citizens currently residing in Mali to exercise utmost caution, remain vigilant and stay in close contact with the Embassy of India in Bamako for regular updates and necessary assistance.”