3 indians abducted from factory amid al-Qaeda linked terrorist attack; India urges Mali to secure their safe, swift release
"It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on July 1," the MEA said in a statement on Wednesday.
The armed attack took place at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes.
Condemning the incident, the MEA said the Indian embassy in Bamako is in constant contact with local authorities, security agencies, and the families of the abducted workers.
In its statement, the MEA described the act as "deplorable" and reaffirmed India's strong stand against violence targeting its citizens abroad.
The Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with the relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, as well as the management of Diamond Cement Factory," the MEA statement read.
"The Government of India unequivocally condemns this deplorable act of violence and calls upon the Government of the Republic of Mali to take all necessary measures to secure the safe and expeditious release of the abducted Indian nationals. Senior officials of the Ministry are closely monitoring the evolving situation and remain engaged at various levels to facilitate safe and early release of Indian Nationals," it added.
The attack on the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes was allegedly carried out by an Al Qaeda linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), according to several media reports.
The attack was part of a series of assaults on Tuesday targeting Diboli near Mali's border with Senegal, as well as the nearby towns of Kayes and Sandere. Other attacks were reported in Nioro du Sahel and Gogoui, northwest of Bamako near Mauritania's border, and in Molodo and Niono in central Mali, according to Mali's armed forces as cited by Reuters.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Nimisha's death sentence overturned, says Indian Grand Mufti Muslaiyar's office
New Delhi: The death sentence for Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse who was convicted of murder in Yemen, has been "overturned" and "completely" cancelled, the office of Indian Grand Mufti, Kanthapuram AP Abubakker Musliyar, stated on Monday. According to a statement issued by the Grand Mufti's office, the decision was made after a high-level meeting held in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, where it was decided to completely cancel the death sentence, which had been temporarily suspended earlier. "The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was previously suspended, has been overturned. A high-level meeting held in Sanaa decided to completely cancel the death sentence that was temporarily suspended earlier," the statement read. Nimisha Priya, a 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala, was scheduled to be executed on July 16, after she was convicted of killing a Yemeni national in June 2018, a decision that was upheld by the country's Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. However, her execution was postponed, following "concerted efforts" by the Government of India. Earlier on July 17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it was actively working to support Nimisha Priya and was extending all possible assistance in the case. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a press briefing, stated that the MEA had appointed a lawyer to assist Priya's family in navigating the complex legal process in Yemen. This includes exploring options for clemency or pardon under Sharia law. Nimisha Priya is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years. Her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 because of financial reasons, and in that same year, Yemen was gripped by civil war, and they could not go back as the country stopped issuing new visas. Later in 2015, Nimisha joined hands with a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to set up her clinic in Sanaa. She sought Mahdi's support because, under Yemen's law, only nationals are allowed to set up clinics and business firms. In 2015, Mahdi accompanied Nimisha Priya to Kerala when she came for a month-long holiday. During the visit, he stole a wedding photograph of Nimisha, which he later manipulated to claim that he was married to her. A plea made by the mother of Nimisha Priya had stated, "After a while, Nimisha's clinic began, Mahdi manipulated the ownership documents of the clinic. He also began to take money out of her monthly earnings after telling everyone that Nimisha was his wife. Nimisha had alleged that Mahdi had been harassing her and her family for years. Mahdi also seized her passport. This was done to ensure that she would not leave Yemen. He tortured her under the influence of drugs. He threatened her at gunpoint several times. He took all the money from the clinic and her ornaments." The plea further alleged that, unable to cope with the torture, Nimisha complained to the police in Sanaa, but instead of taking action against Mahdi, the police arrested her and put her in jail for six days. It was further alleged that on her return from jail, the severity of the torture increased manifold. In July 2017, Nimisha took the help of a warden of a jail located near her clinic. The warden suggested that she should try to sedate him and then convince him to give her the passport. However, sedation did not affect Mahdi, who was a substance abuser. She tried sedating him again, using a stronger sedative in order to retrieve her passport, but he died within a few minutes due to a drug overdose.
Times of Oman
23-07-2025
- Times of Oman
India to send burn-specialist team to Dhaka to treat air crash victims: MEA
New Delhi: India is extending urgent medical support to Bangladesh in the aftermath of the tragic air crash in Dhaka, with a team of burn-specialist doctors and nurses scheduled to visit shortly, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. According to the MEA, "On July 21, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed condolences at the loss of lives in the tragic air crash in Dhaka and had conveyed assurances of support and assistance." The medical response forms part of these assurances. In a statement issued from New Delhi, the ministry added, "A team of burn-specialist Doctors and Nurses with necessary medical support are scheduled to visit Dhaka shortly to treat the victims. They will make an assessment of the condition of patients with recommendation for further treatment and specialised care in India as necessary. Additional medical teams may also follow depending on their preliminary assessment and treatment." The deployment of the medical team comes as part of India's response to the recent fighter jet crash in the Diabari area of Bangladesh's Dhaka, for which India has offered medical assistance to support the treatment of victims. Meanwhile, the death toll in the crash incident has risen to 27. "As follow up to the message from the Prime Minister of India, expressing condolence on the tragic Milestone School plane crash and offering all possible support & assistance, Indian High Commission has today formally written to Government of Bangladesh asking for sharing information on any critical medical support that may be needed to be arranged in India for those injured in the tragic incident," the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Indian High Commission will extend all necessary facilitation," it added. In a clarification, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the aircraft involved in the crash was a battle-ready fighter jet conducting a training mission. "The total number of deaths has risen to 27," said Saidur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, on Tuesday morning. Bangladesh is observing national mourning today, in memory of the victims of the fighter aircraft crash. A Bangladesh Air Force F-7 fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Dhaka on Monday afternoon. The jet was being piloted by Bangladeshi Air Force Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Towkir Islam Sagar, who had also died in the crash, the Daily Star reported. Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, also expressed his profound grief over the incident. In his condolence message on X, Yunus described the incident as an "irreparable" loss for the Bangladesh Air Force, as well as others affected. "I express my deep grief and sorrow over the tragic incident of casualties caused by the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BJI training aircraft at the Milestone School and College campus in the Diabari area of the capital today. The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable. This is a moment of profound pain for the nation," Yunus stated in the post. The Chief Adviser further prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the crash. "I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and direct all concerned authorities, including hospitals, to address the situation with the utmost priority. The government will take necessary measures to investigate the cause of the accident and ensure all forms of assistance," the post added.
Times of Oman
19-07-2025
- Times of Oman
"There should be no double standards, especially in energy trade": India on EU sanctions
New Delhi: India has responded to recent sanctions announced by the European Union, stating that it does not subscribe to any unilateral sanction measures and emphasizing the importance of avoiding double standards, especially in the domain of energy trade. In response to media queries on the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have noted the latest sanctions announced by the European Union. India does not subscribe to any unilateral sanction measures." "We are a responsible actor and remain fully committed to our legal obligations," Jaiswal said. The spokesperson further underlined that the Government of India considers the provision of energy security a critical responsibility. "Government of India considers the provision of energy security a responsibility of paramount importance to meet the basic needs of its citizens. We would stress that there should be no double standards, especially when it comes to energy trade," he added. The remarks align with the External Affairs Ministry's response on Thursday to NATO chief Mark Rutte's comments on potential secondary sanctions over Russian oil, stressing that securing India's energy needs is an "overriding priority" and decisions are driven by "available offers" and "prevailing global circumstances." The Ministry of External Affairs further cautioned against "double standards" on the matter. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments. Let me reiterate and I have said this in the past as well that securing the energy needs of our people is, understandably, an overriding priority for us. In this endeavour, we are guided by what is available in the markets, as well as by the prevailing global circumstances." "We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter," the MEA Spokesperson said. The NATO Secretary General had in his recent remarks asked India, China, and Brazil to reconsider their purchase of oil from Russia or face the prospect of "100 per cent secondary sanctions". Rutte echoed the position taken by US President Donald Trump, who earlier this week threatened severe tariffs on countries maintaining trade with Russia. "My encouragement to these three countries, particularly, is that if you live now in Beijing or in Delhi, or you are the President of Brazil, you might want to take a look at this because this might hit you very hard," Rutte had said. The NATO chief had also urged India and the other countries to "make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks" with Ukraine. "because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way."
