President Pranab Mukherjee today expressed relief and happiness over the news that 46 Indian nurses in Iraq have reached a secure area in that country.
In a message, the President said "I am happy and relieved that 46 nurses from Tikrit have reached a secure area in Iraq. I look forward to their early and safe return to India".
The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, began when a swift ISIS(Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) offensive was launched on June 9.
The nurses were moved out yesterday against their will and were held in the militant-held city of Mosul, 250 km from Tikrit.
They were set free today and are being brought back home in a special Air India plane which left this evening for Erbil, a non-conflict zone. The Erbil International airport is 70 km from Mosul.
