US airstrikes bring panic for the families of 41 Indian workers kept as captives in Iraq

Iraq/ India (August 10, 2014): Airstrikes by US in Iraq has spread panic among the families of 41 kidnapped Indian construction workers abducted by ISIS back in June. The abducted persons are believed to be held captives by ISIS in Iraq. As the US started air-strikes against ISIS in Iraq, the families of these 41 persosn are extreemly worried. But on the other hand the Indian Embassy officials have claim the Indian captives, majority of whom were Punjabi, were safe. The Embassy official however added that they could not be contacted.

Gurdeep (L) and Kamaljit (R) of Hoshiarpur were among 41 persons abducted in Mosul [File Photos]

The Punjab Government, which had set up a helpline and was knocking on the doors of the Central Government, has not made any fresh effort in the past two days to reassure the families.

Kamaljeet Kaur of Gurdaspur said the government had failed to bring the youths back. There has not been any assurance. “Our sons went abroad as the governemnt could not give them employment. We expect our government to at least find the youths and bring them home safe,” she said.

Parvinder Singh of Hoshiarpur, whose brother Kamaljeet Singh, is among 41 persons abducted in Iraq, said, while speaking to the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone, that the governemnt has so far failed secure freedom of his brother and 40 others. “Our family has just got assurances from the government, but nothing concrete has come out yet”, he added.

As per media reports an Indian official from Baghdad said that 41 Indian construction workers in the captivity of Sunni militants in Mosul town of Iraq were safe and the government was making efforts to secure their release.

These workers have been in captivity for about two months now. There were expectations that the workers would be released on Eid.