After the government sought DNA samples from the next of kin of the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq three years ago, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh is again visiting the country to seek an update.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveeh Kumar said on Friday that Singh's visit "is to talk to people".
"He has met a range of people in Iraq. And also to get an update on the 39 missing Indians in Iraq," Kumar said in his weekly media briefing here.
He said that on Thursday Singh was in Mosul city where the Indians went missing.
Last week, the families of the 39 Indians were asked to provide their DNA samples but no reason was provided, the kin said.
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It was in June 2014 that the 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, went missing in Mosul town when it was overrun by the Islamic State. Their families continue to hope the men are alive but also fear the worst.
Singh had visited Iraq in July too in this connection.
--IANS
ab/mr
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