The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it is closely following the situation of Egyptians in Mali, following reports of three citizens being kidnapped by an extremist group.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry called on all citizens in Mali to fully adhere to the instructions and laws of the Malian authorities, carrying identification documents, limiting their movements, and avoiding travel from the capital to other cities and regions.
It also urged caution when moving around at this time.
The statement did not directly mention the kidnapping incident but confirmed that Egyptian authorities in Cairo are in contact with their counterparts in Bamako to support the Egyptian community there.
The statement provided emergency contact numbers and affirmed that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, through the Egyptian Embassy in Bamako, is exerting all efforts to support the Egyptian community and is in contact with the relevant authorities in Mali to monitor their situation and respond swiftly.”
The al-Qaeda-affiliated group “Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin” (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims) claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the three Egyptians in western Mali through its media outlets and demanded a five million dollar ransom for their release.
