Barely 24 hours after the news that four Nepali migrants were released from captivity in Tikrit, it is learnt that three Nepali workers have been stranded in an abandoned house in the strife-torn Iraqi city for the past 11 days.

Mohan Kumar Basnet of Kanepokhari-9 Morang, Prem Giri of Damak-13 in Jhapa and Top Bahadur Basnet of Ghorahi-9 in Dang are hiding in an abandoned house after their company building had been bombed by the Islamic militants. “The rebels destroyed the building of our company. Our passports were also burnt in the incident,” Giri told the Post over the phone. He said they are finding it hard to make contact with concerned authorities as many telephone towers have been destroyed by the Islamic militants.

According to Giri, they are taking shelter in a house near Tikrit College of Medicines and Tikrit Teaching Hospital, about 140 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. “No army or police personnel are seen in the streets since the rebels have taken over the city. There are only rebels around. We are not in a position to come out and make contact with the concerned authority,” he said, adding that most local people have left their houses, fearing attacks. “We are hiding in the house for the past 11 days and we want to return home soon,” he said, pleading to the Government of Nepal to rescue them from the war-ravaged country.

Nepali Embassy officials in Pakistan, which also looks after affairs of Iraq, said that they are finding it difficult to rescue the trapped Nepalis as there is no Nepali mission in Iraq. Nepali Ambassador to Pakistan Bharatraj Poudel, however, said that they are exploring ways to rescue the trapped Nepalis.

Meanwhile many Nepali women, who are working as maids in Baghdad, said that they fear for their lives due to the ongoing war. “The school building next to my residence was bombed by the rebels. The situation is daunting here,” said Khim Kumari Joghi, a native of Kanepokhari in Morang, over the phone.

Smita Thapa, who also works as maid, said they are confined indoors and unaware of the situation outside. She said all 22 Nepali migrant women, who are in contact with her, are desperate to return home.

Published on: 22 June 2014 | The Kathmandu Post