VK Singh

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 10

India today said it is making efforts to secure the release of 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who have been in IS captivity in Mosul since 2014. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and assured him of making all efforts to secure their release.Punjab page: Iraq action rekindles their hopesWith Iraqi forces freeing Mosul from Islamic State control, India has stepped up efforts to locate and facilitate the return of its nationals. Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh (retd) is flying to Iraq’s Erbil to coordinate with the government there for the return of stranded Indians.The Ministry of External Affairs said Air India officials had been instructed to assist with their return, and that the government had activated all channels to locate the missing nationals. The MEA added that the Iraqi government has promised all help in locating the 39 Indians.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The official spokesperson for the MEA said: “As soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by the Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi, the government activated various channels to locate those Indians. Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies for the same.”The 39 Indians were taken hostage by the IS on June 11, 2014, in Mosul. However, confusion prevails over the fate of the abducted Indians. Harjit Masih, a Punjab resident who escaped from IS captivity in June 2014, had claimed that the 39 had been killed. However, the MEA has maintained that it has no information confirming that the Indians are dead.