External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that all 39 Indians abducted from Mosul in Iraq four years back have been killed.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that all 39 Indians abducted by ISIS from Mosul in Iraq four years back have been killed. The External Affairs Minister gave the information in the Rajya Sabha.
"Deep penetration radar confirmed that all Indians were dead after all bodies were exhumed," Swaraj said.
"Mortal remains were sent to Baghdad for verification of bodies. DNA samples of relatives were sent to Iraq in which four state governments - Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar were involved," Swaraj said.
Swaraj said the mass grave had exactly 39 bodies, with distinctive features like long hair, non-Iraqi shoes and IDs.
DNA testing by Martyrs Foundation has established identity of 38 Indians while there has been 70 per cent matching of the DNA for the 39th person, she said.
In December 2017, India had completed the DNA testing of the families of 39 Indians missing from Iraq's Mosul city since 2014 and forwarded the samples to Iraqi authorities for matching with the mortal remains in the graves there. Last year, Swaraj had rejected allegations that she misled the country on the issue and said the government will continue its efforts to trace them until getting evidence of their death.
"This file will not close till there is proof that the 39 Indians are dead," she said, adding Vietnam still looks for soldiers who went missing or believed to be killed in the Vietnam war. Earlier, the Iraqi foreign minister had said that they do not have concrete information whether they are alive or not.
The Iraqi foreign minister also had said that ISIS had seized control of Badush jail and it was demolished. India had requested Iraq to locate the 39 missing Indians, mostly from Punjab, after Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul from ISIS.
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh will be flying to Iraq to bring back the bodies on a special flight.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "swaraj with families")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}