After abduction of 40 of its nationals in Iraq, India on Thursday said efforts were underway to rescue 40 country’s abducted nationals.
New Delhi, June 19/Nationalturk – India on Thursday said efforts were underway to rescue 40 citizens of the country, who have been abducted in Iraq.
“All efforts are underway to rescue the 40 Indians kidnapped in Iraq. We are doing all that a government should do. I am personally supervising the efforts. I will leave no stone unturned in keeping our countrymen safe,” Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters here today.
Indian government yesterday said 40 citizens of the country working as construction workers in Iraq have been kidnapped in Iraqi city of Mosul.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of Indian citizens.
The Mosul fell to Sunni militants of ISIS on June 10. The militants of ISIS and Saddam supporters have made rapid gains in last one week and are said to have taken control of majority portion of country’s largest refinery in Baiji.
‘We will make every possible effort to get hostages released’
“We want to assure the families of the abducted workers that Indian government will make every possible effort to get the hostages released,” Sushma said.
Indian government has sent a seasoned diplomat to help to Iraq with repatriation efforts.
Indian government spokesman yesterday said no ransom calls had been received so far.
Indian external affairs spokesperson said there were approximately 10,000 Indian nationals in Iraq. “6000 of them are in the northern part and approximately 3,000 or so between Baghdad and Najaf and Basra, etc”
“In the violence hit parts, our evaluation is that their number is a little above 100 where there are areas of uncertainty where the security situation is tenuous, where communication is uncertain, and where we are trying to work with small communities, we are trying to work with construction companies, etc. And that is why the difficulty in this,” he said.
India in contact with Iraq govt, humanitarian groups
When asked who had abducted 40 Indian citizens, the spokesperson said, “I cannot give you details because we do not know who it is. What we know is from the humanitarian agencies. They themselves do not know where the location is. So, speculating on how, who, at this stage I do not have that answers for you”.
“We have contacts with UNAMI, with the Red Crescent, with the Iraqi Government. We are trying to establish contacts, we are trying to work with anybody on the ground who can assist us in this difficult circumstance,” he said.
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