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Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
2 Indians killed, one missing in Niger: What is happening in the West African nation?
Two Indian migrant workers were killed in the West African country of Niger on Tuesday (July 15), and another was abducted after a terror attack on their worksite, officials said. One of those who died was Ganesh Karmali, 39, from Jharkhand's Bokaro district. An activist from Jharkhand who has been working on the repatriation of the bodies told The Indian Express that the other man had been identified only as Krishnan from a southern Indian state. The abducted worker has been identified as Ranjeet Singh, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. '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,' a post on X by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Office said on July 20. The Indian Embassy in Niger said the Mission, in the capital city of Niamey, was in touch with local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains and ensure the safe release of the abducted Indian. It also advised all Indians in Niger to maintain vigilance. How many Indians are known to be in the country, and what is the prevailing political situation there? We explain. According to the Union Ministry of External Affairs, around 150 Indians are currently in Niger. They are mostly engaged in the hospitality/service/business sectors. This presents a decline from 2023, when around 250 Indians were in the country. The Associated Press reported that foreigners are increasingly becoming targets of armed groups in Niger. Several have been kidnapped this year, including an Austrian woman who has lived in Niger as an aid worker for more than 20 years, a Swiss woman seized from her home in April and five Indian workers, also in April. In its modern history, Niger received independence from French colonial rule in 1960. For a majority of its post-independence era, it has seen single-party rule, military coups and limited space for the survival of democratic governments. Bazoum Mohamed's 2021 victory in the presidential election marked the country's first transition from one democratically elected president to another. But it was short-lived, and Niger again saw a military coup in 2023 led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who was officially sworn in as the president in March this year. He is supposed to serve for a transitional period of five years. Even before the recent political upheaval, the Sahel region (which Niger is a part of) was facing problems like climate change, poverty and terrorism. Lying to the south of the Sahara desert, it stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, including countries such as Nigeria, Senegal and Chad. It is also among the youngest regions of the world, with about 64% of the population under the age of 25. In some cases, the rise of terrorism has been cited in many countries as a justification for coups. Niger's western neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, also saw coups in 2022 and 2020, respectively. The AP also cited the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project as noting that June was one of the country's deadliest months on record. Islamic State-backed fighters launched a major offensive across the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, the latter being where Indians were killed. More than 100 civilians were killed in the exchange of fire. What complicates the existing issues is the presence of international actors. In an article for Foreign Policy in 2020, Samuel Ramani, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, wrote, 'Instead of taking constructive steps to address the array of challenges facing the Sahel, great powers and regional institutions are exacerbating the region's problems.' 'Due to their intense focus on geostrategic competition and willingness to equate authoritarianism with stability, great powers such as France, the United States, Russia, and China, have actually perpetuated conditions, such as corruption and fragile state institutions, that contribute to rising political violence in the Sahel,' he added. One example is the Russian Wagner Group, which has supplied mercenaries to the region. On March 23 last year, Malian and Wagner Group soldiers launched a five-day attack on a border town to 'root out Islamist militants, killing more than three hundred civilians', according to the Council on Foreign Relations. According to a BBC report, the regional bloc ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) also imposed 'crippling sanctions' on Niger after 2023, such as border closures and a no-fly zone for all commercial flights. However, in January, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger formally left the grouping. Historically, India and Niger had limited exchanges in terms of trade, but that has changed in recent years. The volume of trade has grown from around $95 million in 2018-19 to $203 million in 2022-23, and while Indian exports composed a major share seven years ago, of late the balance of trade is in Niger's favour. The main items being exported from Niger to India are Gum Arabic, Resins and other Vegetable saps and extracts, semi-precious stones, Oil seeds (Sesame), misc. grains, goat skins. etc. India has also extended Lines of Credit to Niger, for the construction of infrastructure and community projects. In 2020, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the country.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Bokaro admin helps deceased worker's family
Bokaro: The sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Bermo visited the family of Ganesh Karmali, a migrant worker killed in a terror attack in Niger, Western Africa, offering food supplies and Rs 10,000 aid, following the directive of Bokaro deputy commissioner (DC) Ajay Nath Jha. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Karmali, a migrant labourer from Dania (Karipani) village under Tilaiya Panchayat in Gomia block, was killed in a terrorist attack on July 15 in the Dosso region of Niger. "As part of immediate relief, the administration provided the family with two sacks of rice, 20 kg of flour, pulses, salt, a sack of potatoes, and Rs 10,000 in cash. We also reviewed the family's economic condition and directed officials to ensure swift assistance," said the DC. The district administration has reiterated its commitment to standing by the victim's family during this difficult time.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Gunmen kill 2 Indians and abduct a third in Niger
Two Indian workers were killed and a third was abducted during a terrorist attack in Dosso region of Niger, the Indian Embassy in Niamey 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," the Embassy said in a statement on social media platform X on Friday. According to local media reports, unidentified gunmen attacked an army unit guarding a construction site in Dosso, about 130 kilometres from the capital Niamey. The Indian Embassy further said it is working with local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains of those killed, and also working to "ensure safe release" of the Indian abducted. The mission has also advised Indians in the West African nation to remain vigilant. Ranji Kumar, labour superintendent of Jharkhand's Bokaro district, said on Saturday efforts are on to bring the body of a migrant worker from Jharkhand back. Ganesh Karmali (39), a resident of Karipani village in Bokaro district, was among the two Indians killed in a cross-firing between police and terrorists on July 15 in Dosso region. Ranji Kumar said the process to bring his body has been initiated through the state migrant control room. "The deceased's brother-in-law, who is also employed in Niger, said Karmali's body has been handed over to the Indian Embassy by the company. According to information, formalities are being completed before sending the mortal remains," Kumar told PTI. Foreign workers are increasingly becoming targets of armed groups in Niger, a West African country. Several of them have been kidnapped this year, including an Austrian woman who has lived in Niger as an aid worker for more than 20 years, a Swiss woman seized from her home in April and five Indian workers, also in April. Niger has for many years battled a jihadi insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, June was one of the country's deadliest months on record as IS-backed fighters launched a major offensive across the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, killing more than 100 civilians in what marked a return to mass atrocities in rural areas.
News18
3 days ago
- News18
2 Indians Killed, One Abducted In 'Heinous' Terror Attack On Their Worksite In Niger
Last Updated: At least two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives, and one was abducted during a clash between local police and a militant group at their worksite in Niger. Two Indian nationals were killed, and one was abducted in an alleged terror attack on their worksite in the country of Niger on July 15 that left a total of six people dead, confirmed the Indian embassy in Niger on Saturday. '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," said the Indian Embassy in Niger. In a heinous terror attack on 15 July in Niger's Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives and one was heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Mission in Niamey is in touch with local authorities to repatriate mortal remains and ensure… — India in Niger (@IndiainNiger) July 18, 2025 According to the The Indian Express, one of the workers killed in the attack was a 39-year-old migrant worker from Jharkhand's Bokaro district, identified as Ganesh Karmali. The other deceased Indian worker was identified only as Krishnan from a southern India state. The abducted Indian national was identified as Ranjit Singh from Jammu and Kashmir, who reportedly provided security to Transrail Lighting Ltd, where all the deceased workers were employed. 'Mission in Niamey is in touch with local authorities to repatriate mortal remains and ensure safe release of the abducted Indian. All Indians in Niger are advised to remain vigilant," said the Indian Embassy. What Happened In Niger? Local sources told AFP 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 Niamey. Karmail's family told The Indian Express that his brother-in-law, Premlal Karmali, also worked at the same site and sustained bullet injuries. He is under police protection in Niger, along with four other workers from Jharkhand who want to return home. Shikha Lakra, head of the State Migrant Workers Control Room under the Labour Department, said Karmail died in the crossfire between police and militants and a process to repatriate workers from Niger has been initiated, along with the remains of the deceased workers. Sapna Kumari, Ganesh Karmali's 20-year-old daughter, said her father had assured the family that his company insurance cover was worth Rs 40 lakh, but the company has now promised to give the family only Rs 12 lakh. 'We haven't even been contacted by the company directly. Only the contractor is speaking to us. We just want justice and for my father's body to return with dignity," she said. The Dosso region borders both Nigeria and Benin, where attacks regularly target civilians, the army and also a giant oil pipeline transporting crude from Niger to Benin. The authorities generally blame such attacks on 'terrorists" or 'bandits". Niger, under military rule following a 2023 coup, has faced around a decade of violence perpetrated by jihadists affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. According to official Indian sources, five Indian technicians were kidnapped in an April 25 attack just north of the nearby town of Sakoira. Twelve Nigerien soldiers were killed in that attack. (with agency inputs) view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 10:26 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Scroll.in
3 days ago
- Scroll.in
Two Indians killed, one abducted in Niger
Two Indian nationals were killed and another was abducted in a terrorist attack earlier this month in Niger, said the Indian embassy in the West African country on Friday. The attack on July 15, targeting an Army unit guarding a construction site, was carried out by unidentified gunmen, PTI reported, citing local media. One of the persons who was killed has been identified as 39-year-old Ganesh Karmali from Jharkhand's Bokaro district, The Indian Express reported, quoting a state government official. Sikandar Ali, a Jharkhand-based activist helping with the repatriation process, told the newspaper that the second person, identified as Krishnan, is believed to be from a southern Indian state. Ali added that the abducted person was identified as Ranjit Singh from Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian mission in Niger said it is coordinating with local authorities to repatriate the bodies and 'ensure safe release' of the abducted person. 'All Indians in Niger are advised to remain vigilant,' the embassy added.
