An Indian national from Odisha has been abducted by rebel RSF forces in Sudan's civil war. (Image: X/ FP)
Following the abduction of an Indian national working in Sudan by rebel paramilitary forces, a high-stakes diplomatic operation has been launched to gain his release. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) allegedly captured the man, identified as 36-year-old Adarsh Behera from Odisha, in the war-torn city of Al Fashir. Sudan's Ambassador to India has confirmed that his government is coordinating with Indian authorities in what he describes as a "very unpredictable" situation.
The man at the center of this crisis is Adarsh Behera from Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district. According to his family, the 36-year-old had been working in Sudan since 2022 for a company named Sukarati Plastic Factory. Behera is a married father of two, with children aged eight and three. Susmita, his wife, has shared a video of her husband in captivity in an appeal for assistance. "I am here in Al Fashir where the situation is quite awful," Behera says while sitting on the floor with his hands clasped in the video.I have been living here for two years with great difficulty. My family and children are very worried.I request the state (Odisha) government to help me."
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Behera's release is being actively negotiated by his government, according to Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, Sudan's ambassador to India. The envoy described the situation as "very unpredictable," noting the known capabilities of the RSF. "We hope that he will be treated well. And we hope that we can see him coming back safely soon," Eltom stated. This is not the first such case; the Ambassador revealed that the Indian ministry had previously reached out during the siege of another Sudanese city about a different citizen who endured "very difficult conditions" for 500 days.
The abduction took place in Al Fashir, a city that has recently seen intense fighting in Sudan's ongoing civil war. Sources indicate Behera was kidnapped from this city, located about 1,000 kilometres from Khartoum, and was likely taken to Nyala, an RSF stronghold in South Darfur. The RSF recently captured Al Fashir after an 18-month siege, ousting the Sudanese Army and triggering fresh violence and mass displacement in North Darfur, creating the dangerous conditions that led to this abduction.
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Amid this crisis, Ambassador Eltom emphasized the strong bilateral ties between India and Sudan. "Our relations with India are long-standing and deeply rooted. India has always been an important partner to Sudan — in times of peace and in times of war," he stated. He acknowledged India's humanitarian assistance during the current crisis, including donations of medical aid and food supplies. The ambassador suggested that India might play a "major role as a development partner" after the fighting is over, highlighting the possibility of post-war reconstruction cooperation.
