There are unconfirmed reports that the Islamic militants have abducted some sixty foreign workers from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkmenistan. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said that it is yet to confirm the reports on Wednesday.  

Nepal´s embassy in Pakistan has been seriously following the development and the condition of Nepali migrant workers in Iraq since the violence erupted in Iraq, Nepal´s ambassador to Islamabad Bharat Raj Paudyal, who is concurrently accredited to Iraq, told Republica on the phone. "I am in constant touch with the Iraqi top government officials including officials from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry following unconfirmed reports that Nepalis were reportedly abducted by the Iraqi militants," Paudyal said. 

Quoting Dogan news agency in Iraq, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday that militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant seized the group near Kirkuk, where they were building a hospital. AP said the abducted ones were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Turkmenistan. "The agency based its report on an unnamed worker who was reportedly freed by the militants," the AP said in its report .

Paudyal informed that he is making all efforts to ascertain the condition of Nepali nationals in Iraq." As we asked to all Nepali nationals to avoid trips to Iraq citing the deteriorating security condition of the country by issuing alerts, I have been seriously following Nepali workers situation in Iraq. I am making frequent calls to them," Paudyal said.  Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed Nepal´s embassy in Islamabad and Kuwait to ascertain the condition of Nepali nationals who are said to have abducted near Kirkuk. Officiating Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi said, "We are closely watching the development taking place in Iraq since we don´t have presence in Iraq." "We are also in touch with concerned agencies of India and Bangladesh,” he added.  

Officials with the MoFA held an emergency meeting in Singha Durbar on Wednesday morning to discuss about possible scenario and to rescue Nepali nationals from Iraq if the situation further deteriorates. Bairagi told that the MoFA is mulling ways to reinforce additional manpower at the embassies in Islamabad and Kuwait for rescuing Nepali workers from Iraq. Issuing a press statement on Monday, the government had asked Nepali nationals living in Iraq to remain vigilant for personal security. The statement had urged them to contact the embassies at Islamabad, Pakistan and Kuwait City for any kind of help.  

According to unofficial data of the MoFA, more than 15,000 Nepalis are currently working in different construction companies in Iraq, and that they had reached the country via New Delhi among other routes after the government has banned Nepali citizens to work in Iraq.   But they reached Iraq illegally, lured by lucrative jobs in construction companies.

Published on: 19 June 2014 | Republica