Families Distressed as Indian Nationals Remain Missing in Mali

Sun Sep 14 2025 16:00:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Families of kidnapped Indian workers express growing anxiety over their loved ones' safety in Mali, amid rising terrorism threats.

As a week passes since the abduction of three Indian nationals in Mali, their families are left with mounting anxiety as they remain uninformed about their loved ones' whereabouts. The men's families are desperately seeking updates on their situation following the alarming incident that occurred when the individuals were taken from the Diamond Cement Factory operated by the Indian business conglomerate Prasaditya Group in Kayes city. India's foreign ministry confirmed that the men were forcibly abducted by armed assailants on a day when a local al-Qaeda-linked group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), had launched numerous attacks across the nation.

Despite the absence of comments from the Mali government, the rising concerns echo the plight of over 400 Indian nationals residing in the country, amid escalating violence and insecurity owing to ongoing insurgencies fueled by extremist groups. Previously, similar worries stemmed from another kidnapping of five Indians in Niger earlier this year.

Families are in disarray as they wait for news, with one woman recanting her last conversation with her son, an engineer at the factory, just before the abduction. Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has publicly urged the Indian government to take immediate action for the safe return of the kidnapped men. The situation has raised alarm among relatives back in India, further emphasizing the critical need for international attention and swift intervention in these increasingly dangerous circumstances.

Amidst worsening conditions in regions plagued by terrorism, the Indian government has urged citizens in Mali to remain vigilant and in contact with the Indian embassy while grappling with the situation's severity. The call for support from the community underscores the urgent need for diplomatic efforts towards the safe release of those abducted.

The haunting silence from authorities and the families' desperate hope for information paint a distressing picture of the situation in Mali, a nation already grappling with widespread instability.