‘4 held in Syria were illegal immigrants’

Four Indians were arrested in Syria recently not because they had gone there to join and fight alongside the ISIS but for entering the country without valid visas, the government on Wednesday said. Syrian deputy prime minister Walid Al Maoulem, during his visit to India last month, had reportedly said the four Indians had “crossed over from Jordan to Syria to join the ISIS” and that they were under custody in Damascus.

However, replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for external affairs V.K. Singh said the Indians had entered Syria illegally from Jordan on their way to Lebanon where they were heading for employment.

“Arun Kumar Saini, Sarvjeet Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Joga/Jagga Singh entered into Syria from Jordan on their way to Lebanon for employment without valid visas. They were caught by the Syrian authorities as illegal immigrants,” the minister of state was quoted by news agencies as saying on Wednesday.

He said the Syrian authorities, after making the “necessary inquiries”, conveyed to New Delhi that they can be brought back to India.

The minister said officials from the Indian embassy in Damascus have met the four persons and modalities are being worked out to bring them back.