External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said that Indians held as captives by terrorists in Iraq are alive and assured that the government is making all efforts to bring them back. <br/><br/>During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mrs Swaraj said if they were stranded, the government would have brought them long back but they are in the captivity. <br/><br/>Nearly 40 people from Punjab are believed to be held as captives in Iraq since last year. One of them who claimed to have escaped from there had earlier made a claim that the others might have been killed. The Minister said that she does not believe that they are dead. <br/><br/>Referring to a recent meeting in which Foreign Ministers from Arab countries and 15 Ministers participated, Ms Swaraj said the heads of two major nations told her that the Indians are alive.