Iraq Crisis: Govt says it knows identity of Indian kidnappers

NEW DELHI: The government has said it has established the identity of the captors who have kidnapped 39 Indians in Iraq, but stopped short of revealing their identity and indicated that some contact may have been established with the kidnappers.

On Saturday, the external affairs ministry spokesperson reiterated that all the 39 Indians are safe. Sources said negotiations are ongoing with captors through regional powers and players that wield influence with the captors. Though the government refused to name the group, it is widely believed that ISIS is behind the kidnapping.

The ministry has also received details about the whereabouts of several Indians of the 10,000-strong community across Iraq. As many as 49 out of 1,300 Indian staff in a Turkish company in northern Iraq want to return. And 20 out of 1,000 Indians in a factory from southern Iraq are also keen to return and government is in touch with company management.