Syria has no information about 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq: Envoy

Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS in July.

Syria’s Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas on Tuesday said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

A member of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service walks in the rubble near the destroyed ancient leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), in Mosul's old city on July 30, 2017. (AFP)

He, however, said Syria is “keen” to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

“The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it,” the envoy said.

“We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it,” he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.