Government says abducted Indians in Iraq still alive
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 28 November 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Government says abducted Indians in Iraq still alive, 28 November 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be126f11.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 28, 2014
The Indian government said on November 28 it believes 39 Indian workers abducted by the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Iraq in June are still alive despite claims that they had been killed.
There was no evidence the workers abducted in Mosul were dead, and government efforts are continuing to locate them, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told parliament.
In a television interview broadcast on November 27, an Indian man – claiming he had escaped from the group – said the other captives had been taken to a forest and shot.
Swaraj dismissed the claim, adding that "there are contradictions in his version."
Swaraj said the government was not in direct contact with the abducted Indians and didn't have information about their whereabouts.
Some 10,000 Indians live and work in Iraq. Many of those employed in volatile areas were evacuated by the government in recent months.
Based on reporting by dpa and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
