Kerala's Oommen Chandy government seeks safe passage of Malayalis from Iraq

KOTTAYAM: Kerala government is in touch with the Centre over the safety of Malayalis stranded in trouble-torn areas of Iraq, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said.

Chandy said what he could learn was that Keralites, many of them nurses, were safe though their exact number was not available now.

"We have urged the Centre to take steps for the safe return of Keralites as their kin back home are anxious about them", Chandy told reporters here.

"As per available information, there are 214 Malayalis in one place and 144 in another place. We want the Centre to ask the Indian Embassy in Baghdad to take steps for their safe evacuation," he said.

Chandy had yesterday urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take steps to bring home the Indians stranded in trouble-torn areas in Iraq.