Mosul recapture: Sushma Swaraj assures to trace 39 Indians held hostage

Families of 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq three years ago are looking forward to some positive news after the Iraqi forces captured Mosul from where their kin were kidnapped by ISIS in June 2014

New Delhi, July 10: As soon as announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by Iraq PM, the government activated various channels for locating the 39 Indians, said MEA on Monday. The External Minister Sushma Swaraj also assured all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians who were kidnapped by terror group ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.

In a series of tweets, MEA has assured that efforts are made to locate Indians in Mosul. Iraqi authorities conveyed all cooperation would be extended & instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies, it said.

Further it termed the liberation of Mosul from ISIS an' important milestone' in the global war on terror and India welcomes the move.

Families of 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq three years ago are looking forward to some positive news after the Iraqi forces captured Mosul from where their kin were kidnapped by ISIS in June 2014.

Earlier on Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder had called up Swaraj to seek her intervention to help Idians in Mosul. The chief minister told her that the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following ISIS' defeat and needed the central government's support in bringing them back.

She said that Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) V K Singh had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with its government and facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said.

The Union minister said that she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded people from the country.

Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return, said Swaraj, adding that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)