Five Indian Nationals Kidnapped by Gunmen in Mali

Five Indian nationals have been kidnapped by armed assailants in western Mali, their employer confirmed Friday. The workers, employed by a company involved in electrification projects, were abducted near Kobri on Thursday. The kidnapping occurs amid escalating violence and instability in the West African nation, where jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are increasingly active. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction, and the other Indian employees of the company have been evacuated to the capital, Bamako.