17 more Indians evacuated from Iraq conflict zone

IANS/New DelhiSeventeen more Indians have been evacuated from Iraq’s conflict zone, the government said yesterday even as the security environment in the area continued to be volatile.“With the help of local authorities, we have been able to evacuate 17 more Indian nationals from the conflict zone. They are now in Baghdad and will go back to their homes shortly,” the external affairs ministry said.Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said the 39 Indians abducted and held in captivity had “not been hurt or harmed.”He said due to the volatile security environment in conflict zones, Indians have been advised to stay indoors.He added 46 Indian nurses in Tikrit were also safe.The government on Monday said over 120 Indians were stranded in the conflict zone in Iraq where Sunni insurgents have made rapid advances against the Iraqi authorities. It said 17 Indians had moved out.Asked yesterday how many Indians were left in the conflict zone, Akbaruddin said it was not possible to pin down the number.“We can give you a drift of the situation. There are 34 less than they were in the beginning,” he said.The ministry issued an advisory yesterday, the second since June 15, stating that the security situation in Iraq continues to be fragile.“Due to the uncertain and difficult security environment, Indian nationals in Iraq are again advised to remain indoors if they are in conflict-prone areas, and to leave the country on voluntary basis by commercial means, in areas where it is safe to do so,” the advisory said.It said Indian nationals “are advised to refrain from undertaking travel to Iraq until further notice”.The advisory said airports in Erbil, Baghdad, Basra and Najaf were reported to be operational at present and Indian nationals in Iraq who need assistance could contact the Indian embassy in Baghdad on the 24-hour helpline.The advisory said the Indian embassy in Baghdad will shortly open camp offices in Najaf, Karbala and Basra for the convenience of Indians nationals in Iraq.It is understood that India is in touch with countries in the region like Saudi Arabia to urge them to assist in freeing the Indians in captivity.Meanwhile, the Kerala government said it was ready to pay for the return of its nurses stranded in Iraq.“The central government should meet the expenses of their return journey and if it does not happen, then the state government is ready to bear it,” Minister for Diaspora K C Joseph said.He said there are reports from some place in Iraq that some of the nurses have salary dues.Ever since the troubles in Iraq intensified, Kerala nurses, especially from places like Karbala region, Baghdad Medical City and Tikrit, were in touch with journalists in Kerala.But after some TV news channel went overboard with the reporting, these nurses were asked by the Indian embassy officials not to speak to media, a Kerala government official said.At Tikrit 46 Kerala nurses are waiting either to return to India or be transferred to a safe place.