"They are all safe and are lodged in two locations- a cotton mill and a government building," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told the family members of some of the kidnapped Indians from Punjab who met her in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his close aide said.
"We are making all-out efforts to ensure that all Indians return safely. We are leaving no stone unturned and whosoever is to be contacted, we have activated all of them. We guarantee to bring them back the moment there is normalcy there," she later told reporters.
Swaraj advised all those stranded in Iraq not to venture out of their homes. Badal along with 24 family members of 13 kidnapped persons today met Swaraj who advised them to have faith in Government's efforts.
The Minister today chaired two meetings of the crisis management group and explored various options to deal with the "difficult" situation.
Also Read
The government said the Iraqi authorities have identified the location of the kidnapped Indians but no demand for ransom has been received. It was also not clear whether Sunni militant outfit ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), which captured Mosul, Tikrit and some other parts of Iraq, was behind the kidnapping.
Government said there are in all 120 Indians in the violence-hit areas including those kidnapped, hailing from Punjab, Kerala and other parts.