Stepping up efforts to secure the release of abducted Indians in Iraq, India on Sunday continued to hold parleys with the International Red Crescent of Baghdad and other countries of the region for freeing the 39 Indian construction workers who were abducted by Sunni militants from Mosul.
According top priority to secure the release of the abducted Indians and moving others from the conflict zones, the Government has also requested Iraq to lift restriction on the visa norm that if a person comes to the country through a port of entry then he will have to go back though the same port of entry.The issue has been taken up with Iraq so that the trapped Indians can cross Iraqi border to neighbouring countries through nearest land boundary.
Instructions have also been issued to Indian missions in countries around Iraq to take up the matter with their host governments to facilitate movement by those who wish to cross the land boundary from nearest place of their stay.India is also understood to have requested Saudi Arabia to help secure the release of Indians.Forty Indians were abducted from Mosul and one of them had fled from captivity and had shared various details about the captors to the Indian authorities.
Government has already sought help from a number of countries in the region besides Iraqi authorities, the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and various other humanitarian agencies working in the trouble-torn country to resolve the situation. The Government has rushed former envoy to Iraq Suresh Reddy to Baghdad to hold extensive talks with Iraqi authorities and other concerned organisations to secure the release of the Indians.
Iraq is witnessing serious strife with Sunni militants, backed by Al Qaeda, capturing two key cities and marching towards Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been displaced in the conflict between the state and Sunni militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) since June 10.
The sources said government was also in touch with the 46 nurses who are stranded in a hospital in Tikrit, another violence-affected city which also fell to ISIS. A total of 120 Indians were in violence-hit areas in the oil-rich Gulf nation out of which 16 have already been evacuated and one of those kidnapped has fled from captivity.
Now 103 Indians remained in the conflict zone including 46 nurses and 39 Indians in captivity. The Centre is also offering assistance, including financial support, to other Indians who intend to return to India.