The 46 Indian nurses in the captivity of ISIS militants have been taken away from Mosul to the Kurdish border checkpoint in Erbil. Indian Embassy officials in Baghdad told AIR from Baghdad that the nurses are safe and unharmed and are on their way to the checkpoint in Erbil on the Kurdistan border.The Indian embassy officials are waiting at Erbil border to receive them and complete the formalities required to send them back to India.

ISIS militants had forced the Indian nurses to be moved away from Tikrit to Mosul where they spent the night. Five of them got minor injuries from broken glass pieces when a blast took place near the bus in which they were to be shifted.

Meanwhile, 39 Indian construction workers kidnapped two weeks ago are still in captivity in Mosul and are safe.

Efforts are on to bring back Indian nationals who have expressed their desire to leave Iraq. 900 nationals have been provided tickets to fly out of Iraq. Around 1500 Indian nationals in Karbala, Najaf and Basra have registered to leave Iraq. Some Indians in Erbil have also indicated their willingness to leave.

The Goverment has set up a crisis mangement committee under the chairmanship of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for the evacuation of 46 Indian nurses in Iraq.

Talking to reporters after holding a meeting with Ms Swaraj in New Delhi today, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said all the nurses are safe and the Ministry is doing its best to evacuate them. Mr. Chandy expressed confidence that the nurses will be brought back home safely.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, over the last few days, talked to her counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and UAE and sought their help to rescue the nurses. Official sources said, the response of the Foreign Ministers has been extremely positive, assuring assistance in the current situation.