New Delhi: Thousands of Indian Shias have applied for visas to Iraq where a deadly sectarian conflict between the extreme Sunni Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the country’s majority Shia population threatens all of West Asia.
There could be many thousands more waiting to do just the same, and all this while our intelligence agencies piece together inputs on Indians fighting for ISIS. The reason for ‘Mission Iraq’, most Indian Shias say, is to stand by their brethren, protect their holy shrines and help the relief effort.
ISIS terrorists have been targeting Shias in Iraq and the dreaded group has overrun several key cities like Mosul and Tikrit. While 46 nurses from Kerala, who were trapped in the conflict zone, have returned safely to India, 39 other Indian construction workers are still being held in Mosul by jihadists aligned with ISIS.
The Iraq government has welcomed us. The Iraqi Prime Minister has said he welcomes Indians helping in any manner,” he said. Government sources said a background check of people volunteering to go to Iraq will be done. “We will coordinate with the Iraqi embassy and give them whatever information they need,” said a government official.
The Anjuman-e-Haideri says it has already recruited 1 lakh people who want travel to Iraq to protect members of their sect. Sources said the government does not want any of the Indians who visit Iraq to get involved in any illegal activity. We don’t want any Indians to be involved in violence,” one official said.
Bureau Report
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