Gunmen kidnap five Indian workers in Mali

Five Indian nationals have been abducted in Mali, officials confirmed on Saturday, as the West African nation battles mounting violence driven by Al-Qaeda and ISIS-linked terror group.The workers were kidnapped on Thursday by gunmen near Kobri, in western Mali, the security source said on condition of anonymity, saying they were employed by a company that is working on electrification projects. “We confirm the kidnapping of five Indian nationals,” a company representative told AFP. “The other Indians working for the company have been evacuated to Bamako,” the capital, he added. No group has claimed the kidnappings so far.

5 Indian Workers Kidnapped in Mali Amid Escalating Jihadist Violence

Bamako, Mali: Five Indian nationals have been kidnapped in Mali, a country increasingly plagued by unrest and jihadist violence linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups.

According to officials, the… pic.twitter.com/mnP0DvVQHt

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Mali, currently ruled by a military junta, has been struggling to contain surging unrest blamed on criminal groups and jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.Kidnappings targeting foreigners are common in the country, which has been plagued by coups and conflicts since 2012.

Born out of a Tuareg rebellion in 2012, the JNIM has steadily expanded its reach from northern Mali into the country's centre and across borders into Burkina Faso and Niger. Mali's junta leader, Assimi Goita, came to power vowing to crush the insurgency, but his decision to cut defence ties with France and the United States and pivot toward Russia has delivered little success. While Bamako remains under government control, the prospect of JNIM advancing toward the capital worries many Malians. In areas, it dominates, the group has imposed strict rules, restricting movement and ordering women to wear hijab on public transport.