Rescue operations gain pace, 600 Indians to return from Iraq over next two days

Nearly 600 Indians will return to the country from conflict-hit Iraq over the next two days. Of them, 200 will return in an Iraqi Airways special chartered flight from Najaf to Delhi on Saturday, the external affairs ministry (MEA) said.

"The return of Indians from Iraq has gathered pace," MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, as 46 Indian nurses briefly held hostage by Sunni Arab militants arrived to an emotional welcome in Kochi. 

Indian nurses who were set free from Iraq are seen arriving at Kochi airport.
 (Photo credit: Doordarshan News)

"Tonight,  200 Indian nationals will return by Iraqi Airways special chartered flight from Najaf to Delhi.  In addition, in the next 48 hours, approximately another 400 Indian nationals would be returning to various destinations in India, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, through commercial flights."

The MEA also said it was estimated that about 1,200 Indians would have returned to the country at the government's cost by Monday.

Akbaruddin added the Indian Mission in Baghdad was able to persuade Iraqi companies to send back approximately 600 other Indian nationals.

"Our Mission in Baghdad is also separately processing papers of approximately 400 other persons who are in some major companies. Once these are processed, the total number of Indians who would have returned to India in the last fortnight would be about 2,200," Akbaruddin said.

There were about 10,000 Indians in Iraq before the start of the war between government troops and al Qaeda splinter group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). With the MEA facilitating the rescue operations, an estimated 7,500 Indians in the non-conflict zones have been evacuated.

Fifty Indians, including 39 construction workers held captive in Mosul, are still feared to be trapped in the conflict zones.

SOURCE: http://www.hindustantimes.com/