Families Fearful for Safety of Abducted Indians in Mali

A week after the abduction of three Indian nationals working in a cement factory in Mali, their families express growing anxiety due to a lack of information about their whereabouts. The Indian government is in contact with local authorities but families urge for immediate action.

A week after three Indians were kidnapped in Mali, their families are deeply anxious as they await news about their loved ones. The Indian foreign ministry reported that the victims, who were working in a cement factory, were "forcibly taken" by armed assailants last Tuesday, when assaults connected to the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) were carried out across the country.

Though the Mali government has yet to issue a statement, reports suggest that around 400 Indians live in Mali, a nation with which India has enjoyed trade relations since the 1990s. This incident follows the kidnapping of five Indian nationals in Niger back in April, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the Sahel region, notorious for its ties to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Mali is notably the eighth largest nation in Africa and is regarded as the "epicentre of global terrorism" according to the Global Terrorism Index, which indicates that it has been significantly affected by insurgency since 2012. The Indian foreign ministry has advised its citizens in Mali to exercise caution and alertness, as well as to maintain contact with the Indian embassy in Bamako.

The kidnapped men were taken from the Diamond Cement Factory operated by the Prasaditya Group in Kayes. Although the firm has not provided a comment on the incident, a local resident reported hearing numerous gunshots during the attack that coincided with the abductions.

Families of the abducted individuals have been in a state of panic, with little information regarding their loved ones' situation. The mother of Panad Venkatramana, one of the kidnapped workers, expressed her anguish, recalling her last interaction with him days before the incident. Venkatramana, who is from Odisha, has a family that includes three children, and they are seeking assistance from local authorities in their search for him.

Support for the affected families has emerged, including calls from former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik for Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to take personal action in securing their safe return. Amaralingaeswara Rao's family, also anxiously awaiting updates, mentioned his plans to visit India soon, leaving them worried about his future.

The ongoing abduction underscores the precarious security environment in Mali and neighboring regions, as families and Indian officials continue to grapple with the situation, hoping for a resolution soon.