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No concrete proof of either safety or killing of 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq: Sushma Swaraj

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External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Friday that there is no concrete proof of either the safety or killing of the 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq in June.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha on Indians abducted in Iraq, Sushma Swaraj said: "We have information from six different sources that the 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq in June have not been killed." 

"It is my responsibility to continue with the search on the basis of statements of these 6 sources," Swaraj added.  

Swaraj was responding to Congress' allegations that the government has not been truthful about the fate of Indian nationals trapped in Iraq.  

According to Harjet Massih, the only Indian who escaped from the Islamic State's captivity, the Indians were abducted along with Bangladeshis from the Mosul factory on June 15 and were taken to Erbil. On the way, the Bangladeshis were set free while the Indians were taken to a secluded place and executed.

However, Swaraj said, “There are many holes in his story. We had two options. Either believe his version and stop the search or not accept his version at face value and continue search.”

“Six sources have told us that they have not been killed. It is not just verbal but written information. As I could have shown it only to those who had taken the oath of secrecy of office like me, I showed it to Arun Jaitley and Harsimrat Kaur Badal,” she said.

She said that the government would continue its efforts even if there is 1% chance that they are alive.

Regarding Harjeet, Swaraj said, “Harjeet is safe and is in the protective care of the government.”

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