Evacuation of Indians from Iraq big challenge for Centre: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Terming the evacuation of stranded Indians from strife-torn Iraq as a "big challenge" for the Union government, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he hoped the Centre would do everything to bring them back from the Gulf nation safely.

"The first impact it (the situation in Iraq) has is that many of our people are working there and evacuating them safely has become a big challenge to the present Central government. We hope that the government does everything to get our people back from there safely," Omar told reporters here.

Omar said the situation in Iraq might have an effect on oil prices and thereby give rise to inflation here.

"Whatever is happening in Iraq, it will have an effect on us. If the oil prices rise, then the inflation will rise here," he said.

The Centre yesterday said 40 Indian construction workers have been kidnapped in the oil-rich Mosul town of strife-torn Iraq.

They have been presumably kidnapped by Islamic militants but no ransom demands have been received yet. The workers, mostly from Punjab and other parts of northern India, were working on a construction project in Mosul in northern Iraq which has been captured by Sunni militant group ISIS.

Iraq is witnessing serious strife with militants, backed by al-Qaida, capturing various cities and marching toward Baghdad.