This Article is From Jun 19, 2014

Will Leave No Stone Unturned To Rescue Kidnapped Indians: Sushma Swaraj

Will Leave No Stone Unturned To Rescue Kidnapped Indians: Sushma Swaraj

Some 40 Indians have been kidnapped in Mosul in Iraq, captured by Sunni militants

New Delhi: Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj today said "all efforts are underway to rescue the 40 Indians kidnapped in Iraq."

"We are doing all that a government should do. I am personally supervising the efforts. I will leave no stone unturned in keeping our countrymen safe," Ms Swaraj said a day after the government confirmed that the men had been kidnapped in the captured Iraqi city of Mosul, which fell to Sunni insurgents on June 10.

Relatives of 12 of the kidnapped Indians will meet the minister this evening.

Ms Swaraj said, "I want to assure the families that the government and we will try our very best... make every effort."

Reports suggest that the Iraqi government has said the Indians are safe.

Many of the Indians are from Punjab and worked for Baghdad-based construction company Tariq Noor al-Huda.

Among those meeting the foreign minister today are the relatives of Dharmender, Balwinder Singh and Kamaljeet.

Dharmender's father Rajkumar says he last called on Sunday and revealed that he had been picked up by armed men and kept in captivity. The conversation was cut off abruptly.  "Now his mobile phone keeps ringing but no one answers it," says his father, Rajkumar.

Another worker Kamaljeet called his brother and said some 91 people were rounded up by armed militia and divided into two groups - foreigners and locals.

About 100 Indian workers are trapped in areas overrun by the Al Qaeda-inspired insurgent group ISIS.

The government has sent a seasoned diplomat to help with repatriation efforts and said on Wednesday that no ransom calls had been received so far.

ISIS fighters, who aim to establish a Muslim caliphate across the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, launched their revolt by seizing Mosul, and swept through the Tigris valley towards Baghdad.
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