33 Indian laborers have been reportedly held hostage by a company in Somalia for the past eight months

India is working with its High Commission in Nairobi for the safe return of 33 Indians stuck in Somalia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

“MEA & our High Commission in Nairobi are working on the relief & return of 33 Indians stuck in Mogadishu, Somalia. The HC @IndiainKenya has taken up their predicament with the Somalian authorities. We are also in touch with the Somali Embassy in India. Hope for an early resolution,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.



33 Indian laborers were reportedly held hostage by a company in Somalia for the past eight months. It was reported that they had joined the company 10 months ago. In the first two months, the company treated them well, but from the last eight months, the workers were allegedly not paid their salaries.

An activist Rajesh Mani had taken to Twitter to request the Indian mission and the Foreign Affairs Ministry to look into the matter.

@HarshShringla @IndiainKenya @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia Request for kind concern towards the rescue of 33 Indian labors bonded in SOM Steel ltd, Mogadishu, Somalia from states Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh & Punjab,” Mani had said in a tweet.



In another tweet, Mani had shared a video of the stranded Indian citizens stuck in Somalia.



The Indian mission in Kenya had replied to the tweet and said the mission was in constant touch with the Somalian government for the immediate rescue of 33 Indian laborers from Mogadishu, Somalia.

“We are in touch with the labourers also for getting them the assistance needed, at the earliest. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia has assured that arrangements will be made for these people to visit India soon,” the Commission tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday in reply to a tweet by activist Rajesh Mani.