Bamako: India’s Embassy in Bamako has confirmed awareness of the abduction of five Indian nationals in Mali on November 6, assuring that officials are coordinating with Malian authorities and the concerned company to ensure their swift and safe release.

In an X post, the embassy stated it is “working closely with Malian authorities and the company concerned to secure their safe release as quickly as possible.”

The kidnapping occurred amid rising instability in Mali, where the al-Qaeda-linked jihadist outfit Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam al-Muslimin (JNIM) has intensified its campaign around the capital, Bamako. The group has reportedly targeted highways, fuel convoys, and military patrols, tightening its grip and disrupting vital supply routes.

According to CNN, the escalation has led to severe fuel shortages in Bamako after militants torched convoys and ambushed tanker trucks. Several nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, have since issued urgent travel advisories, urging their citizens to leave Mali amid the volatile security situation.

Last week, the UK government advised its nationals to leave “immediately by commercial flight if safe to do so,” while the US State Department echoed the warning. CNN further reported that JNIM militants recently set ablaze a convoy of over 100 fuel trucks en route from the Ivory Coast, destroying at least half.

The group, active since 2017 and affiliated with al-Qaeda, continues to expand its influence across Mali and the broader Sahel region, frequently targeting foreign workers and industrial operations.

A former French colony, Mali remains plagued by recurring violence and political unrest. Despite the presence of Russian mercenaries—initially from the Wagner Group and now operating under Moscow’s “Africa Corps”—the conflict persists, with both Malian and allied forces enduring heavy losses.

Earlier in July, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also confirmed the abduction of three Indian workers at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, western Mali, following a terrorist assault. At the time, the ministry condemned the violence and reaffirmed that “the safety, security, and welfare of Indian nationals abroad remain a matter of utmost priority.”

With the recent incident, the number of Indian nationals kidnapped in Mali this year has risen to eight.

With inputs from ANI