Four Indians held in Syria preparing to join IS

New Delhi, Jan 13
Four Indians have been detained in Syria while trying to join the Islamic State (IS) terror group, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid Al Moualem said here on Wednesday.

Al Moualem, who was on a three-day visit to India since January 11, said Syria was ready to hand over all the four to India.

"They are in jail in Damascus and Syria is ready to hand them over to India," he told media persons here.

About 39 Indians captured in Mosul in Iraq, he said: "If they were captured by Iraqi security forces, then Syria can help negotiate their release but if they were captured by the IS, then we cannot help."

The Syrian minister met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday.