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Indian nurses ‘forced’ to move out
All 46 Indian women nurses, holed up in a hospital basement in Tikrit city in conflict-hit Iraq, have been forced to move out by Sunni militants (ISIS) during which three nurses received injuries.
- Militants are taking the nurses to an undisclosed location
- Some of the nurses suffer minor injuries
- MEA advises the nurses to proceed as asked
- US increases security at overseas airports
New Delhi/ Washington: All 46 Indian women nurses, holed up in a hospital basement in Tikrit city in conflict-hit Iraq, have been forced to move out by Sunni militants (ISIS) during which three nurses received injuries.
Confirming that the nurses were "on the move right now and they agreed to shift for their own safety", the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said there was no "freewill in zones of conflict", indicating that they were under captivity and moving under duress.
He said that after considering the situation where there were no options as the area was not under Iraqi government's control and the humanitarian groups were unable to reach to these nurses. "It is not a situation of our choice. It is a difficult situation," he said. However, the Spokesperson did not clearly say who asked them to move from Tikrit and only added "Our embassy continues to be in touch even as they are moving to another location." The nurses remain "unharmed", he said, adding some of them suffered minor injuries in an incident of glass-breaking in Iraq but no one has got any major injury. Another group of 39 Indian remains in captivity and was "unharmed", the External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said. There are about 100 Indians in the conflict zone, though an exact number was not possible to give, he said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy earleir said that 46 Indian nurses, a majority of them are from his state, who have been moved out of their hospital in ISIS-controlled Tikrit town of war-torn Iraq, are "safe" and there was no need for "anxiety" . The Obama administraion has ordered tighter security measures at certain overseas airports which have direct flights to the United States.
Making an announcement in this regard, the Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson did not list out such airports, but news reports said such a decision has been taken in view of the declaration of Islamic Caliphate by Islamic militants, who have gained control over parts of Syria and Iraq. From India, New Delhi and Mumbai are the two airports having direct flights to the US.
