Soren urges Jaishankar to help Jharkhand's workers 'abducted' in Niger

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday sought External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's intervention in helping workers from the state, who were allegedly abducted in Niger, a west African country.

Families of five migrant workers - Sanjay Mahto, Faljit Mahto, Raju Mahto, Chandrika Mahto and Uttam Mahto - earlier appealed to the CM to intervene saying they were abducted in Niger where they had gone to work with a power transmission company.

"Union External Affairs Minister, Honourable @Dr S Jaishankar Ji is requested to please provide help to our migrant brothers from Jharkhand who have been kidnapped in Niger as per information," Soren posted on X.

All the five "abducted" people hailed from Giridih district of the state.

Clashes between the army and terrorists have been reported recently in a section of Niger.

An attack by armed men in western Niger killed 12 soldiers on Friday in an area near the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, which has long been a hotbed of extremist violence, the army said.

Last month, an attack by a jihadi group on a village in the region killed 44 civilians.