An Indian national was recently abducted by rebel forces in war-torn Sudan — likely held by the Rapid Support Forces in South Darfur. The incident has sparked a flurry of diplomatic interactions as both countries work to rescue the Odisha resident. 36-year-old Adarsh Behera had been working for a local company in the Darfur region since 2022.
Sudanese officials remain in close contact with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to secure his release. His exact whereabouts are unknown with source-based updates suggesting Behera was was kidnapped from Al Fashir — about 1,000 kilometres from Khartoum — and taken to the RSF stronghold in Nyala.
“We have been in close contact with India’s Ministry of External Affairs ever since reports emerged about the Indian national who was captured. Even before that, during the siege of one of the Sudanese cities, the Ministry had reached out to us about another Indian citizen there, who endured very difficult conditions during those 500 days,” Sudanese Ambassador to India Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom told PTI on Sunday.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has deepened in recent months amid a protracted civil war. The RSF recently took control of Al Fashir — triggering fresh violence and mass displacement in North Darfur. The militant group also captured western Darfur region last week after ousting the Sudanese Army from the city that was besieged for 18 months.
Who is Adarsh Behera?
The 36-year-old Indian national has been working in Sudan for nearly three years when he was kidnapped by rebel forces. The Odisha resident had been living in the Darfur region under difficult conditions while employed by a company called Sukarati Plastic Factory. According to reports, he had begun working as a machine operator for the company to support his wife and two small children.