New Delhi, June 30
The government today said more than 600 Indians would be returning to their homeland from strife-torn Iraq this week. “We have adopted a pro-active approach...our diplomats are approaching people and asking them to leave the country,’’ MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here.

He said all Indians would be returning by commercial flights as airports in Baghdad, Basra, Najaf and Karbala were fully functional. He reiterated that all national assets of the country were ready to bring back the Indians from Iraq.

The spokesman said the mobile teams had visited Indians nationals in Najaf, Karbala, Basra and Baghdad to sort out their problems like paper work, air ticket and contractual obligations.

About the 39 Indian workers in the custody of Sunni militants in Mosul, the spokesman said India was working on ‘front doors, back doors, trapped doors’ to secure their release.

Regarding 46 nurses stranded in a hospital in Tikrit, he said the authorities were in regular touch with them. At this stage, it would not be advisable for them to come out since there was danger of their being caught in the crossfire between Iraqi forces and the militants.

Giving details of the evacuation exercise, the spokesman said about 60 Indians had left Najaf today while the papers of 31 were being processed. Their air-bookings had been done and they should be leaving Iraq tomorrow. Another group of 30 Indians would be leaving on Wednesday.