5 Indians kidnapped in Mali as Al-Qaeda, ISIS-linked groups expand attacks, victims moved to…, was working at…

Five Indian nationals have been kidnapped in Mali, officials and a security source confirmed on Friday, as the West African nation continues to face rising violence and instability. The workers were abducted on Thursday by armed men near Kobri, in western Mali, according to a security source who spoke to AFP. The victims were employed by a company working on rural electrification projects.

“We confirm the kidnapping of five Indian nationals,” a company representative told AFP, adding that other Indian employees have been moved to Bamako, Mali’s capital, for safety. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions.

Mali, which is currently under military rule, has been battling widespread unrest fueled by armed groups and militants linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (Daesh). The worsening security crisis has deepened economic hardship, with the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) even enforcing a crippling fuel blockade in parts of the country.

Kidnappings of foreigners are common in Mali, a nation that has faced multiple coups and ongoing conflict since 2012.

Just last month, JNIM militants kidnapped two Emirati nationals and an Iranian citizen near Bamako. They were reportedly released last week after a ransom of at least $50 million was paid, according to people familiar with the talks.

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