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New Delhi: Three Indian nationals have been abducted in Mali, West Africa, amid a wave of terrorist attacks across the country, prompting India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to express deep concern and call for their safe and early release. The individuals were working at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, where the abduction took place on July 1, during a coordinated armed assault on the premises.
“The Ministry of External Affairs expresses its deep concern regarding the abduction of three Indian nationals employed at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, Republic of Mali. The incident occurred on 1st July 2025, when a group of armed assailants carried out a coordinated attack at the factory premises and forcibly took three (03) Indian nationals as hostages,” the MEA said in an official statement.
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The Embassy of India in Bamako is working closely with the Government of Mali, local law enforcement, and the management of the Diamond Cement Factory to secure their release. The mission is also in regular contact with the families of the abducted individuals, according to the MEA.
A group affiliated with al-Qaeda, known as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has reportedly claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across Mali on July 1. The attacks targeted Malian Armed Forces in towns across the western region, including Kayes, Nioro, Sandare, Gogui, and Diboli, media reports said.
According to Malian military sources cited in local and international reports, at least 80 terrorists were killed in the clashes. The offensive came days after several local militant leaders were neutralized and 10 fighters from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara reportedly surrendered, according to Xinhua, the Chinese state-run news agency.
India strongly condemned the violence and urged Malian authorities to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of its nationals.
“The Government of India unequivocally condemns this deplorable act of violence and calls upon the Government of the Republic of Mali to take all necessary measures to secure the safe and expeditious release of the abducted Indian nationals,” the MEA said. “Senior officials of the Ministry are closely monitoring the evolving situation and remain engaged at various levels to facilitate safe and early release of Indian Nationals.”
Mali is part of the Sahel region, a vast belt stretching from Senegal to Eritrea, which has faced rising extremist violence since the fall of Libya in 2011. The collapse of the Libyan state led to the proliferation of weapons and fighters, fueling terrorist movements across the region.
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In 2021, Assimi Goita, a senior figure in Mali’s military, seized power and later suspended elections indefinitely, further straining relations with Western powers. Mali withdrew from its longstanding security partnership with France in 2022, which included an active French-led anti-terrorism mission.
The abduction of foreign nationals highlights the deteriorating security situation in the region and raises serious concerns for foreign workers and diplomatic missions operating in conflict zones like Mali.
