Two Indians were killed while one was abducted in a heinous terror attack on July 15 in Niger’s Dosso region, the Indian Embassy in Niger said.
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Two Indians were killed while one was abducted in a heinous terror attack on July 15 in Niger’s Dosso region, the Indian Embassy in Niger said.
Reacting to the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday expressed deep concern over the abduction of Ranjeet Singh, an Indian national from Ramban district, who was kidnapped in Niger’s Dosso region.
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In a post on X from the Chief Minister’s Office, Abdullah urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene urgently and ensure Ranjeet’s safe and swift return.
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In a post on social media X, the Chief Minister’s Office wrote, “The Chief Minister has expressed concern over the abduction of Ranjeet Singh, a resident of Ramban, in Niger. He urges the Hon’ble EAM @DrSJaishankar and @MEAIndia to urgently intervene to secure Ranjeet’s safe and swift return.”
Ranjit Singh, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district, was working at a construction site when unidentified gunmen attacked, killing two Indians and abducting him.
Earlier in the day, the family of the abducted pleaded for the government’s help to bring Singh home safely.
Located in the remote village of Chakka Kundi in Ramban, the family of Ranjit Singh sat shrouded, unaware of his whereabouts.
In an exclusive interview to a news agency, the father of Ranjit Singh, Mohan Lal Sen, said, “We want to tell Modiji to act on it, the Government of India should work to bring him back. We have been suffering for the last 5-6 days. He has little children. We are very worried about him- where has he been abducted to, has he eaten anything or not?”
His mother, Sadhu Devi, is distraught, hasn’t slept or eaten since the incident, and is desperate to see her son return home.
The grieving mother, Sadhu Devi, told the news agency, “Please bring my son back. I want him back. I haven’t slept in nights or eaten anything. When will my son come back?”
Tears rolling down her face, she said, “We are very worried about his whereabouts. He has three small children, and they are also worried. We want our son to come back home safe and sound.
The Indian Embassy in Niamey is in touch with the local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains of those killed and ensure the safe release of the abducted Indian.
The mission also cautioned all Indians in Niger to remain vigilant.
In a post on X, the Embassy said, “In a heinous terror attack on 15 July in Niger’s Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives, and one was abducted. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Mission in Niamey is in touch with local authorities to repatriate mortal remains and ensure the safe release of the abducted Indian. All Indians in Niger are advised to remain vigilant.”
Arab News reported, citing local sources, that unidentified armed attackers ambushed a Nigerien army unit providing security at a construction site for an electrical line in the Dosso region, around 100 kilometres (63 miles) from the capital city of Niamey.
Previously, in March, Niger had seen a terrorist attack by the Islamic State in the Great Sahara in Kokorou, which had resulted in the deaths of at least 44 civilians and had left 13 severely injured, as reported by the UN Security Council Press.
US State Department’s 2023 Country Report on Terrorism for Niger had observed that terrorist organizations exploited Niger’s extensive borderlands and sparsely populated regions to attack and recruit among populations where access to government services was weak and economic opportunity negligible.
Due to the small size of its “defence force, ineffective coordination among security services, budget shortfalls, and instability in Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, and the Lake Chad Basin”, Niger’s efforts to fight terrorism were hampered.
Niger is in the midst of a political upheaval as a military coup has taken control, ousting the democratically elected President. Niger has been facing a severe security crisis due to jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaida and the Islamic State, exacerbated by a military coup in July 2023.
In July, 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by the Presidential Guard, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani declared himself the new leader. This event led to widespread international condemnation.
The Niger coup is the seventh such event in West and Central Africa since 2020, highlighting a concerning trend of military interventions in the region.
The region has seen several attacks targeting foreigners, including kidnappings of aid workers and Indian nationals.
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