Missing Indians may be in Iraq’s Badush jail

New Delhi/Jalandhar, July 16

The Union Government today said the 39 Indians held captive by Islamic State in Iraq since 2014, were believed to be in a prison in Badush, a town witnessing a battle between Iraqi forces and the militia.This information comes following the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs Gen VK Singh (retd) to Iraq last week.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh GK, who accompanied the kin of the missing Indians to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, quoted her as saying the youths were being held captive in Badush, a town 16 km northwest of Mosul.

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Manjit Singh said during combing operations in Mosul, the 39 Indians, understood to have taken shelter at a place of worship, could not be located. “During VK Singh’s interaction with the Iraqi authorities,  he was told that they could be in Badush. He had to return from the outskirts of Badush where a battle is on,” he said.

The DSGMC chief said  Sushma Swaraj told the families they would be kept in the loop and promised to brief them after her meeting with Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari during his visit to India on July 24.  

Davinder Singh, brother of kidnapped youth Gobinder Singh, said: “We had expected we would be provided proof, such as photos, to show our kin are alive. But nothing of the sort happened.” Raman, whose brother Aman is among those kidnapped, described the meeting as disappointing. — TNS