39 Indians killed in Iraq's Mosul; govt didn't listen to survivor in 2015

As many as 40 Indians were originally abducted by the terrorist organisation ISIS in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh

As many as 40 Indians were originally abducted by the terrorist organisation ISIS in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj said in a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha. The remaining 39 Indians were taken to Badoosh and killed.

Search operations led to a mound in Badoosh where locals said some bodies were buried by the ISIS. Deep penetration radars were used to establish that the mound indeed was a mass grave, Swaraj said, adding that the Indian authorities requested their Iraqi counterparts to exhume the bodies.

Swaraj said the mass grave had exactly 39 bodies, with distinctive features like long hair, non-Iraqi shoes, and IDs. The bodies were then sent to Baghdad for DNA testing.

DNA testing by Martyrs Foundation has established the identity of 38 Indians while there has been 70 per cent matching of the DNA for the 39th person, she said.

Here are the top 10 developments around the

All the 39 Indians who were abducted by ISIS in Iraq nearly three years ago were killed, and their bodies had been recovered, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh will be flying to Iraq to bring back their mortal remains to India on a special flight.

killing of the 39 Indians in Iraq's Mosul by the ISIS:

1) Hopes of families of those killed in Iraq dashed

The news of death of two youths from this district, who were among the 39 missing Indians in Iraq, has shell-shocked their family members in villages Jaitpur and Chhauni Kalan.

Kamaljit Singh of village Chhauni Kalan went to Iraq in 2014 to earn for his family, his younger brother Parwinder Singh Lucky said.

Kamaljit Singh is survived by wife Harwinder Kaur, a son and a daughter, he said.

The family approached Sushma Swaraj, Union External Affairs Minister, nine times to know about the fate of Kamaljit Singh, Lucky said claiming "she did not given a suitable reply". (more)

Indians stranded in Saudi Arabia: All you need to know about the issue

Indians stranded in Saudi Arabia: All you need to know about the issue

Nearly 10,000 Indians stuck in Saudi Arabia are set to be evacuated and provided with food in the meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister, informed the Parliament on Monday.

Minister of State, VK Singh, will be travelling to Saudi Arabia soon to oversee the operation, which involves airlifting people.

The minister was making a statement in the House after other members of Parliament (MPs) raised concerns over the plight of workers there.

Here’s a gist of the entire issue and the Centre’s issue to provide relief to such workers.

What is the issue?

The Saudi government was forced to cut its spending last year on the back of plummeting oil prices As a result, it created pressure on the financials of local construction companies. Such firms employ foreign workers and rely on state contracts. The resultant strain on the firms led to nearly 10,000 workers being laid off, and left them with no money to even eat food. More than 2,500 Indians are said to be living in labour camps with no food for the past 10 days.

Are Indian migrant workers treated well in normal circumstances?

No. Wrongful treatment by the employer is an open secret about these nations. Such workers, sometimes, are detained even after their work documents expire. They are usually paid very less or no salary for months together. The crux of the problem is the ‘kafala’ system. Under the system, migrant workers’ visas are tied to the employers so that they cannot change jobs without the consent of their employers, Human Rights Watch says. (more)