New Delhi: 40 Indian workers who were working on construction project near oil-rich Iraqi city of Mosul have gone missing. Reports claimed that they were abducted by suspected Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) insurgents.
Mostly construction workers have lost contact with authorities while they were being evacuated from Mosul which has seen pitched battle between ISIS and Kurds. The area is dominated by Kurds but was captured by ISIS before being driven out by the Kurd militia.
Reports said that the government of India is finding it difficult to track the workers as they were directly recruited by contractors without registration.
Spokesperson of Minister of External Affairs Akbaruddin said that MEA cannot confirm abduction, but accepted that the authorities have lost contact with the missing Indians.
46 Indian nurses – most of them from Kerala – are also stranded in Tikrit, the hometown of late Saddam Hussein. Many of them want to leave but are finding it difficult to get help as the town is now under the control of ISIS. Speaking to a news channel, one of them said that police and the Iraqi army have fled and they have been left behind.
Kerala Chief Minister Ommen Chandy has personally spoken to the nurses and assured help. In total, around 100 Indians are said to be stranded in the region.
Responding to the crisis, the MEA has set up a 24-hour control room at its HQ in New Delhi to monitor situation in Iraq.
It is also in touch with Iraqi authorities to ensure of safety of Indian nationals and has decided to sent former Indian envoy to Iraq Suresh Reddy – who is known to have deep contacts in the country – to Baghdad to help the embassy there.
Syed Akbaruddin said, “To strengthen embassy, sending seasoned diplomat Suresh Reddy, who travels to Baghdad to assist embassy in its efforts. Our embassy is in touch with all Indian nationals spread across the affected area. The Red Crescent has helped the Indian nurses in Tikrit.”
National security advisor A K Doval is coordinating the rescue effort.
External Affairs Ministry Delhi Control Room: +91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 7905, +91 11 2301 4104. Email: controlroom@mea.gov.in.
Indian embassy in Baghdad: +964 770 444 4899, +964 770 484 3247
Bureau Report
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