94 Indians leave Iraq; nearly 600 to return this week

As many as 94 Indians today left Iraq after a "pro-active approach" initated by the Indian officials there that would see nearly 600 nationals leaving the war-hit country to safety this week. Indian officials in Iraq are reaching out to compatriots themselves, and are busy facilitating the paperwork and ticketing, for those needed, to enable them to fly back home, an official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs told reporters here.

"The facilitation of Indian nationals in Iraq in areas which are not in conflict zones is now underway," the spokesperson said, adding that special mobile teams are reaching out to residences of Indians in Najaf, Karbala, Basra and Baghdad advising them to leave the country. "They (mobile teams) were authorized by the External Affairs Minister to contact Indian nationals in their places of residence to advice them that in accordance with two advisories we have sent, it is best that they leave places of work and return to India," he said. "The departure of more than 600 Indian nationals will be facilitated during the course of this week," he said, adding that officials are working on paperwork, ticketing and employers for those who might have problems.

The official also said that 60 Indians from Najaf, 30 from Karbala and four from Baghdad have left the strife-torn country today and others will soon follow. Asked about the 39 kidnapped Indians there, he reiterated that they were knocking on all doors.