Swaraj and her junior VK Singh had left no stone unturned in trying to trace and safely bring back 39 Indians, PM said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her junior VK Singh had "left no stone unturned in trying to trace and safely bring back" 39 Indians who were abducted by Islamic State in 2014 and have been found dead.
A group of 40 Indian workers, mostly from Punjab, were taken hostage by ISIS when it overran Iraq's second largest city Mosul in 2014. While the government did not confirm their death for all these years, Mrs Swaraj today announced that their bodies were found in a mass grave in Badosh, northwest of Mosul, in an area that Iraqi forces recaptured last July.
One of the hostages, Harjit Masih, escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha today. The other 39 are dead and their bodies have been recovered, she said.
"Every Indian grieves with those who lost their loved ones in Mosul. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and pay our respects to the Indians killed in Mosul," Modi said in a tweet.
"The MEA and particularly my colleagues @SushmaSwaraj Ji and @Gen_VKSingh Ji left no stone unturned in trying to trace and safely bring back those we lost in Mosul," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the government remains fully committed towards ensuring the safety of all Indians overseas.
Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today expressed shock and his deepest condolences at the death of the Indian citizens.
His party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, added that it was not just a tragedy for the families but for the entire country.
"I'm shocked to hear that 39 Indians who were in captivity since 2014, in Iraq, are now confirmed dead.
"My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lived in hope, that their loved ones will return unharmed. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you today," Gandhi said on Twitter.
Out of 38 individuals who have been confirmed dead, 27 are from Punjab, 4 from Himachal Pradesh, 2 from West Bengal and 5 are from Bihar. One person whose identity is yet to be confirmed is also from Bihar.
(With PTI inputs)
){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}
 "File photo of PM Narendra Modi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}