Indian nurses given thumping welcome on return home from Iraq

The special Air India plane carrying 46 Indian nurses, who had been held captive in Iraq, has finally landed in Kochi, and given a thumping welcome. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also joined the families of the nurses, who anxiously waited for their arrival.

"I am feeling relieved. Not only me, the whole people of Kerala are feeling relieved," said Chandy.

Anxious family members of the nurses were eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Sauma John, whose sister is among those who returned today, said, "My sister was working for seven months. We were facing a lot of problem ever since she was abducted in Iraq. We thank the CM and the central government for their support. The videos we have seen are very tragic. We are happy that she is coming back."

The special Air India flight carrying the nurses arrived at Kochi following a stopover at Mumbai.

The 46 nurses had been reportedly taken away by ISIS militants from Tikrit to an old building somewhere in Mosul late on Thursday night.

There were about 10,000 Indians in Iraq before the start of the strife between government troops and Sunni militants. The militants have captured two key cities and have their sights set on Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been displaced in the fighting that broke out on June 10.