Indian nurses are "safe", no need for anxiety: Oommen Chandy

New Delhi, July 3: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said the 46 Indian nurses, a majority of them are from his state, who have been moved out of their hospital in ISIS-controlled Tikrit town of war-torn Iraq, are "safe" and there was no need for "anxiety".

Chandy, who is getting regular updates from Indian diplomats in Iraq to ensure safe evacuation of stranded Indians, said the External Affairs Ministry and Indian Embassy officials are making "sincere efforts" to achieve the goal.

The Chief Minister, along with his ministerial colleagues Ramesh Chennithala, K M Mani and M Ali, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj twice today and discussed various options to solve the crisis. They will be in Delhi for two- three days. The Chief Minister said the nurses "came out" of the hospital in Tikrit where they were working and "left the place".

"We expect their information in details after sometime," he said but did not specify whether they are in the custody of ISIS fighters. Asked whether the state government was consulted before the nurses were moved out of the hospital, he said "now we are not going into the details. Some limitations are there".

"That is correct," he said when pointed out that the nurses have left their hospital. He said two-three nurses have suffered "minor injuries" in an an incident occurred when they were about to leave the place.

The Chief Minister said the Indian Embassy officials were trying to contact the Red Crescent officials but they have only "very limited" activities in that area. "They (Red Crescent) are not in a position to bring them to a safe place," Chandy said.

PTI