The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that 39 Indians taken hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul by ISIS fighters in 2014 are alive.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay told media that “we are in touch with all countries that can help us.” Baglay, however, refrained from sharing more information stating that the matter was sensitive.
There has been no ransom request from ISIS for the release of the Indian hostages.
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A coalition of Iraqi and US forces Iraqi and U.S. forces are engaged in a fierce battle to eliminate the ISIS fighters from the city of Mosul, which ISIS had captured two years ago. The campaign to recapture the city entered the ninth month on Friday.
The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said over 100,000 civilians remain trapped in Mosul and Islamic State is using kids as human shields.