39 abducted Indians may be in Mosul jail: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday disclosed that 39 Indians who were abducted by the terror outfit ISIS in Iraq nearly three years ago might be lodged in a jail in Badush in northwest Mosul. Ms Swaraj said she was hopeful that Iraqi foreign minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari could provide some additional information on the issue when he visits India on July 24.

Family members of the missing men, most of whom are from Punjab, met Ms Swaraj on Sunday, who briefed them on the latest developments in the wake of the recent visit of the minister of state for external affairs V.K. Singh to Iraq. Recently, Iraqi security forces had claimed that they had managed to liberate Mosul, a stronghold of ISIS.

The foreign minister claimed that during his visit, Mr Singh was informed by some authoritative officials who claimed on basis of intelligence reports that the abducted Indians were initially deployed in the construction of a hospital bu-ilding in Mosul.

Subsequently, the entire group was shifted to a farm on outskirts of Mosul, from where they were eventually shifted to a jail in northwest part of Mosul.

Iraqi forces are currently engaged with ISIS militants in this part of Mosul and Indian agencies feel that a clear picture would emerge in the next few days. During the meeting, the two state ministers for external affairs were also present.

“While Iraqi security forces have managed to liberate east Mosul, they are now securing and sanitising each building as there could be bombs and explosives in them due to which civilian population is not being allowed as of now. Iraqi foreign minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari is scheduled to visit India on July 24 and may bring updated information. In west Mosul, an operation is still going on between Iraqi and ISIS,’’ Ms Swaraj said.

“During Mr Singh’s visit, a senior official, while quoting some intelligence sources, had informed Mr Singh that the abducted Indians were deployed in construction of hospital and then shifted to a farm. Subsequently, they were shifted to a jail in Badush but since then, there has been no information. We will get some fresh information once fighting in Badush is over,’’ the minister added.

The foreign minister has already spoken to her counterparts of all countries in the Gulf region, who could possibly help India locate the missing men.

Ms Swaraj has also written a letter to the Iraqi foreign minister, which was handed over to him in Baghdad by Mr Singh who returned from Iraq on Saturday. Ms Swaraj claimed that if required, Mr Singh would visit Iraq again.

Ms Swaraj said that though she had met family members of the abducted Indians 10 to 12 times, this time the situation was different as the Iraqi Prime Minister had declared that Mosul had been freed from ISIS control. “The same day I asked Mr Singh to visit Iraq and get information about the Indians,” Ms Swaraj added.