In a tragic incident, two Indian nationals have been shot dead in Niger's Dosso region, and a third has been kidnapped by an armed group. The Indian Embassy in Niger confirmed the attack, which occurred on Tuesday, and stated that they are in contact with local authorities to repatriate the bodies of the victims and secure the safe release of the kidnapped individual.

The victims were reportedly working at a construction site in Dosso, which is located approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Niger's capital, Niamey. Local media reports indicate that the victims were workers at a construction site. The Indian Embassy has advised all Indian nationals in Niger to remain vigilant.

The identity of the deceased workers have been reported as Ganesh Karmali, 39, from Jharkhand’s Bokaro district and Krishnan from a southern Indian state. The abducted worker has been identified as Ranjit Singh from Jammu & Kashmir. According to Karmali's family, his brother-in-law Premlal Karmali also worked at the same site and sustained bullet injuries. He is currently under police protection in Niger, along with four other migrant workers from Jharkhand who are safe and looking to return home.

This attack is the latest in a series of security incidents targeting foreigners in Niger. Niger has been battling a long-standing insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The security situation has deteriorated since the military coup in July 2023. The Dosso region, where the attack occurred, borders Nigeria and Benin and has increasingly become a target for armed groups.

In April 2025, five Indian technicians were kidnapped in an attack north of Sakoira. Twelve Nigerien soldiers were killed in that same attack. Also in April, a Swiss woman was abducted from her home and five Indian workers were also taken. In a separate incident earlier this month, three Indian nationals working in Mali were kidnapped from a cement factory in the west of the country.

The rise of terrorism and violent extremism continues to undermine security and stability in the Sahel region. Niger faces a multidimensional crisis stemming from extreme climate events, growing insecurity, rapid population growth, and chronic poverty. By September 2024, Niger registered 507,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), a 12% increase from the previous year. The Tillabéri and Diffa regions are the most affected, but the Dosso region has also recently registered around 5,000 new IDPs. Severe flooding has further intensified the crisis, impacting over 1.4 million people nationwide.

The Indian government is working with local authorities to ensure the safe release of the kidnapped individual and to repatriate the remains of those who were killed.